Love LOCK-ED, an Oxymoron

Ponts des Arts, Hohenzollern Bridge,Västerbron and closer to home, that bridge atop Penang Hill. What do they have in common? Yes, Love LOCKS.

http://www.kellypurkey.com/its_me_kp/2014/06/paris-pont-des-arts.html

Love LOCKS......ahhh, the ultimate, no-going-back, forever locked together romantic gesture. *Technically can be forcefully removed, but that is cheating* Personally, I have this kind of commitment issue. Sure, it is very romantic but what if shit happened and you are no longer with the person you are "locked" together with? What if you despise this person so much that the thought of having a lock inscribed with both your names forever locked together makes you wish you did rather die? *Drama Queen*  Perhaps I am thinking too negatively and think that this whole idea is as much of a gimmick as Valentine's day. 

Don't get me wrong, for someone that doesn't believe in this grand gesture of love, I did spent a very long time reading what was written on the locks. Some are downright sweet, some disgustingly cheesy. Some locks are put on there by new young couples, some by old long-term couples; declaring their undying love to each other. I am still very much a hopeless romantic but the idea that a lock is needed to secure the love I share with the special someone just defeated what LOVE is supposed to be.

Love is "suppose" to be a selfless act. Cliché saying - "If you love that person, you should wish him / her all the best, even if that means watching her loving someone else". Love doesn't require or involve a lock. Ultimately, what is yours, will be; what is not, will never be - with or without a lock. 

Romance and Germanic

I am more of a "French Girl". Not that I am French, though I am a girl. But I prefer the Romance language and culture more than the Germanic language and culture. The Romance includes: French, Spanish and Italian. As the name of the language group suggested "The more ROMANTIC language". The Germanic includes: English, German and languages from the Scandinavian. You could probably tell from the harsher pronunciations and tones of the 2 language groups. Culture wise, it wasn't subtle that the Spanish, Italian and French came across more passionate and "friendly" while their counterparts are portrayed as to be more reserved when expressing themselves.

I don't originate from either group and Chinese definitely fell into the latter. We have problem telling each other how we feel. But I am a firm believer in letting someone know how we feel about them and how grateful and privileged we are to be able to be more than acquaintance to them. So it is suffice to say I prefer the Romance culture and along with it the languages.

When Pretty Girl decided to go to Germany and asked me to join, I wasn't expecting anything but I am not a person that would passed on a chance to visit a foreign country and really just to see her face again. Afterall, its where most of my life education came from.

I am announcing that "Its my bad! I shouldn't have my judgement before I even tried." I formed my opinion based on a very small sample size and that is a premature decision. I hereby announced that I love Berlin. It is one of my favourite cities in the world. Oops! I got ahead of myself.

The fact that Pretty Girl is there with me might have influenced my decision. I may not be a fan of currywurst or overly salty potatoes, but I am a beer convert and tartar. Who knows raw beef can taste so sinfully good. If I am not already a carnivore, I am definitely more of one now. Serve me steak, I might think twice. Give it to me raw, YES PLEASE.

Without much of my rambling, I present to you COLOGNE / KÖLN. Yes, this is the place where Cologne was invented and hometown to a friend of ours.