Love fever spreads across the globe

Cakes decorated with hearts for St Valentine's Day in Burgos, northern Spain.
Photograph: Felix Ordonez/Reuters

ST VALENTINE'S DAY: Australians seeking love on St Valentine's Day speed-dated in deckchairs on Bondi Beach, Japanese trekked through snow in search of romance, Filipinos sang syrupy ballads and British police sent Valentine cards to bail-dodgers.

Contrary to its racy reputation, Thailand told police and "student inspectors" to stake out motels, shopping centres and parks to ensure youngsters behaved themselves on the "day of love", when polls say many teenagers have sex for the first time. In China, where homosexuality was listed as a mental illness until 2001, 20 gay and lesbian activists in Beijing marked the day by handing out roses to promote awareness and same-sex marriages.

More than 2,000 people signed up for 16 simultaneous speed-dating events in eight Australian cities, with the proceeds going to charity. St Valentine's Day in the Philippines was celebrated traditionally, with a riot of red and pink roses, heart-shaped cards and syrupy love ballads.

But Manila's Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales warned against "exclusive moments" between unmarried couples. "We advise everyone to be careful especially when spending time with one's boyfriend or girlfriend," he said. "Sometimes, celebration of this day - which is not really bad - ends up in a sin."

A day before St Valentine's Day, more than 500 Japanese women sailed across the Ashino-ko lake at the foot of Mount Fuji, then trekked through a snow-covered forest to pray for love at the small red Kuzuryu shrine, a famous divine matchmaking site.

In Britain, the West Mercia police sent Valentine cards to 160 bail-dodgers to encourage them to hand themselves in.

The red cards were sent to those wanted on warrant for not appearing in court or not paying fines. Each card featured the rhyme: "Roses are red, violets are blue, we can't wait to get our hands on you." 

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times