Thursday, May 29, 2008

Show me the way...









Posted by at 6:47 pm
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14 comments:

julie said...

Interesting - it's like finding markings that would make sense only with the right treasure map.

7:08 pm
Catalyst said...

They would appear to be hobo marks but I never knew them to use yellow paint.

7:21 pm
Anonymous said...

Curious, almost spooky, especially the one on the door as a reverse of two of the others. What might they mean? What are hobo marks, catalyst?

8:00 pm
Sheila said...

How interesting, if they are indeed hobo marks...in rural Brittany....I always just thought of it as an American thing.

Do let us know if you have any solid information, or further clues!

1:39 am
katydidnot said...

duh. i thought it was a riddle. i was trying to figure it out. like those things where it goes:

picture of a bat + picture of fur - F + E = battery

right?

yeah, it wasn't. just marks on trees and stuff?

5:50 am
Lucy said...

What sophisticated interpretations!

No, there's nothing mysterious about them, they're just waymarks; there's been an effort to designate some organised footpaths here, but obviosly not the budget or manpower to provide proper signs everywhere (or indeed maintain the paths), so they simply paint the direction markers on trees, rocks, whatever available surfaces.

However, I started looking at them, and they seemed to take on odd appearances and meanings, to reflect my moods, and to make me look more closely at the surfaces and objects they were on, compare them to the natural patterns near to them and think about how they too could be read, so I started to collect the photos!

I'll try to find out a bit about hobo marks now!

6:28 am
Granny J said...

Aw, and I was going to guess they were some kind of civic graffiti. But then, I guess that they are.

6:38 am
Julia said...

We have waymarker signs like that too here. I think the groups that maintain those signs prefer already in place posts such as trees and fences because they are less obtrusive, less likely to be removed and of course less expensive to maintain. Czechs are good at maintaining trails though, and the detailed maps that go with the markers are really fun to read (you could spend days tracking down ruins and nifty discoveries marked on the maps and just off your trail!).

11:16 am
Lucas said...

I think it is the skill of your photography that makes these marks appear mysterious and other. Wonderful pictures!

1:44 pm
leslee said...

I like that you posted no words. Makes them as mysterious as if I ran across them on my own somewhere. But then you're at least aware of why they're there.

12:53 am
meggie said...

Very curious. Though you say they are not really mysterious, the still appear that way.

2:51 am
Anonymous said...

My children will walk for miles if they are on a trail, following markers. It is amazing how exciting they find it - particularly when we miss one and have to backtrack and there is the prospect of being lost in the forest, with dark falling and no food . . .

Actually I think it is quite exciting too!! Much more fun than just ambling around or following a map.

5:22 pm
Jules said...

You say that they designate trails but why the different signs? And what does the "X" mean? The treasure is here?

8:14 am
Lucy said...

No! The X means 'not this way'!

10:07 pm

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