It’s easy to appreciate the beauty of the natural world.  Trees and flowers, bugs and birds, fish and squirrels…and all the wonders of zoos and other wildlife sanctuaries make us stop and wonder at the miracles of nature.  And we often find this beauty in spaces that are open and natural, away from the hustle and bustle of busy city life.

And after a couple of days communing with nature, today I was back in a more urban landscape.  A place where parking is difficult , traffic is the norm, and lots of people are concentrated in small spaces.  And I enjoyed a couple of hours browsing a wonderful independent bookstore and some other retail shops before heading to the airport to return home.

But before I left that coveted parking space, my trusty iPhone camera and I walked a couple of blocks to explore the manufacturing district just a block or two away from the upscale shopping district.

After crossing the train tracks, I came across this asphalt factory.

And there’s a kind of beauty in this man-made factory and the machines that we depend on for smooth roads and transportation.

Big trucks drove in and out, but I didn’t get to see any actual asphalt.

It’s amazing what you’ll discover when you cross the tracks!

Where do you discover unexpected beauty?  What catches your eye and makes you want to know more?