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Polaroid of the Week: Stunning Love Locks on Cologne's Hohenzollern Bridge

Polaroid of the Week: Stunning Love Locks on Cologne s Hohenzollern BridgeThis week took me across Germany—from Berlin to Düsseldorf, and now to Cologne for the weekend. My time here has been the highlight, a refreshing break from work-heavy days in the other cities. I set out to see if Cologne still held the same magic it did 15 years ago. Our connection runs deep: I first visited at 15 with friends and fell in love with its multicultural vibrancy, a stark contrast to my quiet hometown. I vowed to live here one day, and by 2000, I enrolled at the University of Cologne.

Life pulled me away after just two years, but I always planned to return. Now, rediscovering the city with a close friend under perfect summer skies was idyllic. From riverside bike rides along the Rhine and bustling food markets to nights in the thriving LGBTQ+ scene, every moment reignited my affection for Cologne.

As a fan of love locks—I've even added my own to a bridge—I was thrilled to finally see the Hohenzollern Bridge, one of the world's most famous for them. Absent during my student days, it now boasts over 40,000 padlocks, far surpassing spots like Montevideo's fountain, Brooklyn Bridge (now removed), or Italy's Via dell'Amore. The sheer scale is mind-blowing, with the locks weighing more than 2 tons. Though I've grown more realistic about eternal love, I hope these symbols endure without toppling the bridge, unlike Paris's Pont des Arts.

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