As the cold weather sets in, we’re dreaming of warmer places. Join us for a quick journey to the sunny skies and balmy seas of Central America.

Morpho butterflies make their homes in Central America, where they feed on fermenting fruit.

Read: our account of coral spawning at a reef  off the coast of Panama, and why this is critically important to undersea ecology. From Smithsonian Magazine

Hear: how people from Central America once entertained each other with homegrown lyrics on Calypsos of Costa Rica. From Smithsonian Folkways.

Watch: How scientists have been studying biodiversity at Barro Colorado Island in the Panama Canal since 1923. From Smithsonian Channel.

Chew: your gum with your mouth closed, while you learn about the origins of chicle in southern Mexico and Central America. From our Food and Think blog.

Check out: What’s new at the Smithsonian Latino Center, including the Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum  in Second Life.

Go: Now is a great time to book your travel to Costa Rica, Panama, or Guatemala with Smithsonian Journeys

Tags: costa rica, guatemala, panama, travel advice

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 at 8:00 am and is filed under Central America, Destinations, Travel Hit Lists. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can share your comments, or trackback from your own site.