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When traveling we tend to think that if haven’t left our mark somewhere it’s as if we had never been there. The famous “I was here” or “Tom and Jenny were here.” This is not something new, far from it in fact. For centuries names have been recorded in sites as old as the temples of Abu Simbel in Egypt . And now those eager to stand the test of time have left marks all over the world in the form of locks or messages left on walls, engraved in in trees or benches, or painted in public restrooms.
We have selected three places where you can leave your mark, and each is more curious and meaningful than the next.
“The gum wall” of Seattle ( USA )
This strange attraction is visited by hundreds of thousands of people who wish to leave their mark in the form of chewing gum. In fact, the wall is no longer visible. It all started because people got bored while queuing for the theater in 1990, so it became fashionable to stick small coins there with a little gum. After those coins disappeared, the chewing gum remained over the years. And now it has become a tourist attraction in the U.S. You’ll see all sorts of colors and flavors, and even imaginative figures made of gum. It goes without saying that this curious experiment has become one of the most disgusting places in existence, a breeding ground for germs. You´ll find it in Market Place Park, Post Alley.
The Milvian Bridge or the “Bridge of Locks” in Rome (Italy )
Over the Tiber river the view has changed. Innumerable messages have been enclosed in a padlock, and the key is always dropped to sink to the bottom of the river. And although this doesn’t only occurs in Rome, this is a special site. It all started in 2006 with writer Federico Moccia and his novel “I Want You”. Since that publication numerous couples have left their mark as a padlock with messages of love. It is a ritual. And what about the vendors? Of course, there are many who have specialized in locks (with key or password) and they can be found on every corner.
The Romeo and Juliet House in Verona (Italy )
This is a must-see if you visit this Italian city. In the place where Romeo and Juliet once experienced their love, it is very common to find walls full of passionate messages written on paper by couples in love. It is a way of perpetuating their love to the death, like the characters William Shakespeare’s seventeenth-century did. We’re talking, of course, about that impossible love between a Montague and Capulet. Now, hundreds or thousands of love messages are plastered over the entrance to that famous balcony. It’s funny how everyone who visits Verona will take the same photograph .
And if I haven’t convinced you yet, you can always choose the very ecologically friendly way to leave your mark: check “like” in your social networks. Simple, quick and permanent.
