Avery Island is the home of Tabasco sauce made by the McIlhenyCompany. We had the option to tour the factory, but we instead spent most of
our morning in the Jungle Garden, a 170 acre semi-tropical garden filled with
natural vegetation and wildlife. We saw alligators, and a raccoon while walking
the trails. The highlight of the gardens was bird city. McIlheny took it upon
himself to restore the snowy egret to the region, which had been devastated for
their feathers. He started with eight egrets raised them in captivity and then
released them in the fall. They returned the following spring and now there is
a huge colony that returns every year. He also raised various types of Holly,
palms, azaleas, camellias, and bamboo. In the middle of the garden is a century’s
old Buddha statue from China. It was a delightful morning.
In the afternoon, we headed to St. Martinville,
where the Acadians landed after being ejected from Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick by the British in the 18th century. This was the
connection to the beginning of the story we heard two years ago in La Rochelle,
France and the continuation of that story in Nova Scotia, and now their final
landing place here. The visitor center has a painting representing the Acadians
who came both from France and Canada and an interesting narration about the
people who moved here.  |
Acadians Landing in Louisiana |
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