Avery Island and the Jungle Gardens

Yesterday Bryan and I went to Avery Island to go on the Tabasco factory tour which is just south of Lafayette. I definitely recommend it if you are ever driving through to definitely stop. Besides being the home of Tabasco sauce, it has some pretty interesting history. This tiny island in the bayous is really a little hill that was created by an upwelling of ancient salt deposits and at its highest point I think they said its only about 150 feet above sea level. Tabasco sauce has been made on this island since the 1860s by the McIlhenny family. Here are some pictures we took with Bryan's phone...

They mash the peppers with a little Avery Island salt and they put it in these barrels. Then they pour more of the salt on top of the barrels to act as a natural barrier to protect the contents for three years which gives time for the salt to turn into like concrete.

   

This was the beginning of our drive through Jungle Gardens which is also on Avery Island. We were like a few feet from the gators!

These pretty little egrets were everywhere!

Pretty bridge over the marsh.

We put a penny in for good luck!

This temple housed the Buddha statue that was given to the McIlhennys  in the 1836.

Senior pic! I just loved this bridge.

This was the end of our tour. I am still anticipating going on tours of some of the plantation homes. I think we will wait to go in the spring when all the flowers are in bloom. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!