It's still too cold for gelato in February

But I had to have the chocolate hazelnut flavor anyway.


I could not leave Valentine's Day uncelebrated. This is my first quasi-non single Valentine's Day. So, why was I consoling myself with gelato?

Because, ironically, an ocean separates me and my valentine. I shot this couple looking out at the Mediterranean Sea after carnivale in Viareggio. Not bad, eh?


We amused ourselves by writing things in the sand. This is what I wrote.


This means: "I love you." It is reserved for spouses, usually, because it connotes eternal love.

Here is Ryan, a guy in the group, writing a message for Kyleigh, one of my appartmentmates and his girlfriend of five years.


On Saturday, I had walked by myself around Florence. There are quite a few messages of love to be found, maybe meant for those who are alone this Valentine's Day. These were all found fairly near my apartment.


"Hello my love"





"TVB" stands for "Ti voglio bene," which also means "I love you," but is reserved for family members, close friends and your boyfriend/girlfriend.

I walked to the Ponte Vecchio. A bridge has stood there since the time of the Romans, where the Arno river is at its narrowest point.


On the wall where the bridge meets land, many had inscribed messages of love.


In the middle of the bridge, there are always couples admiring the view from the statue of Benvuto Cellini.




When I first visited the Ponte, I noticed that the gate surrounding the statue was covered with hundreds of locks -- symbolizing declarations of eternal love, and presumably marriage. Among the messages and among the locks, I tried to find my own name. I could not. The city has since removed all of them, and placed this sign:


What does that mean for the symbolism?