Tabasco Factory and Whitney Plantation

2.3. Today Eric takes us to the airport so we can pick up our rental car. Like everywhere in the States, the car rental companies are understaffed and we wait a long time to receive our car. Of the nine counters, only two are open... Afterwards, we drive for about two hours to Avery Island, the birthplace of Tabasco Sauce. The sauce is still produced here and we can taste the around 15 different varieties. The museum illustrates the manufacturing process and takes us through various buildings of the factory. Since the island is privately owned, there is a large park with alligators and many birds that can be explored by car. The Buddha statue from Asia is a real eye-catcher. Back in New Orleans, we go to "Robert's" to buy food and eat our purchased delicacies with Eric.

3.3. Today we drive to Whitney Plantation, one of many sugarcane plantations that can be visited. It is the only one that addresses the enslavement of black workers. The self-guided tour is very exciting and moving. After an hour and a half, we go to a seafood restaurant for dinner. Then we visit Jean Lafitte Park (a famous pirate) where we get as close as half a meter to an alligator and are allowed to admire it. We also see two water snakes and on another hike we see an armadillo. They are really cute!