Yup, that's South Africa's national flower there - the Protea. Well, actually, our national flower is the King Protea; but this is close enough, right? :)

I took this shot standing on my tippy-toes, trying not to fall over, clasping the Protea bush in one hand and my camera in the other. So, even though it's a little fuzzy on the edges, I hope you agree that it still is beautiful - and (in fact) that Proteas are amoung the world's most beautiful flowers. I'm not sure about you; for me it's perhaps their ruggedness that I find so very appealing - beautiful, yet super hardcore. :)