Autumn Leaves

First of all let me tell you that this image was taken by my 12-year-old daughter, Sara. The day we visited Vallgorgina and while my wife, some friends and I were having a chat after lunch, I left her the camera and she pointed towards the nearby trees. The leaves of this platanero (Hybrid plane or London plane tree) looked gorgeous under the afternoon sun but I confess I underestimated my daughter's eye. Beauty comes from within and you always get surprised at how different people can produce astonishing results at a given situation that you would regard as too obvious.

The Hanging Gardens of Barcelona Balconies

Not one of the seven wonders of the world but balconies with exuberant plants are not rare in Barcelona. This succulent specimen in particular is some sort of Graptopetalum or ghost plant according to my opinion. Maybe our botanic friends can help. What I was most interested in was the balcony anyway. The decay textures, the folded canopy, the historic architecture of the old part of town which I never get tired of admiring.

Fray Bernat de Boïl, Columbus Monument, Barcelona

Here is a detail of one of the sculptoric groups at the base of the Columbus monument in Barcelona. The statue of Fray Bernat de Boïl preaching to an Indian kneeling before him by Manuel Fuxà.