We are on a tropical island. A shower just caught us unaware, but we found shelter beneath the branches of an Orchid Tree. The shower was short but hard, battering leaves and blossoms. The rain clouds are floating away now and the sun breaks through. Water is still dripping down from the higher branches, drops are clinging to the leaves and the beautiful blossoms, distorting our view.

Bauhinia variegata aka Phanera. variegata, Spring Orchid Tree, Mountain Ebony and Arbol Orchidea is native to Southeast Asia but got introduced to various tropical locations around the world where it blooms in late winter and spring. The Tree gets to 40 ft [13-15 m] high. The seeds are high on protein and eaten in some areas.