Meals - Hotel Marina Copan, Honduras

Meals - Hotel Marina Copan, Honduras, originally uploaded by Adal-Honduras.

Aren't these dishes delightfully inviting? Part of the regional cuisine of Western Honduras, some samples of what you can enjoy in Copan Ruinas.

Upper left (and clockwise): 1: Breakfast at the Junior Suite's balcony, Hotel Marina Copan. 2: Coffee Flan dessert. 3: Brochetas del Sol (Sun Sheesh Kabob), Fresh marinated cubes of beef and chicken tenders, corn, and vegetables, covered in champignon sauce, plus guacamole, rice and 'tostones' (fried green plantain). 4: Tropical chicken salad: Chicken, champignons, yogurt, celery, spices, served on a pineapple half, plus watermelon.

• Hotel Marina Copan

Some more exquisite delights:

White hibiscus - Chaa Creek Lodge - Belize

White hibiscus - Chaa Creek Lodge - Belize, originally uploaded by Adal-Honduras.

Hibiscus, especially white hibiscus, is considered to have medicinal properties in the Indian traditional system of medicine.

In Mexico, the red variety is also popular to make a refreshing beverage. The drink is known as agua de Jamaica and is quite popular for its color, tanginess and mild flavor; once sugar is added, it tastes somewhat like cranberry juice. Dieters or persons with kidney problems often take it without adding sugar for its beneficial properties and as a natural diuretic. It is made by boiling the dehydrated flowers in water; once it is boiled, it is allowed to cool and drunk with ice. — Wikipedia

Did you know that infusion from this flower is also believed to benefit hearth disease? A 2008 USDA study shows consuming hibiscus tea lowers blood pressure in a group of pre-hypertensive and mildly hypertensive adults.