Curiosity

Once again, a simple sketch made me wonder about something I didn't know before: the species of tree I had in front of me and the name of the square I was sitting in.

Just a couple minutes away from home, I was sketching in Plaza Enrique García-Herrera (a square better known for being "the square above Camas St's parking," in Málaga) under a few trees that weakly attempt to protect passersby from the sun. Their scientific name? Erythrina—a species of tree of the rosebush family, commonly known as coast coral tree or African coral tree, which flowers into shades of warm red and has thorns all over its trunk. Erythrina (a term that refers to dozens of tree variations) comes from the Greek word for red—erythros—and refers to the red flowers of the most common types. Even thought I thought this was an Erythrina Caffra tree, I'm not sure anymore.

Curiosity is a choice. And I love how obsessing about the details of something as mundane (and often ignored) as a tree or a city square can get you started to talk and learn about anything.