Lafayette, LA

My first stop in Louisiana is in Lafayette, "Lafit" for the locals, who knows why (I don't). 

Deciding now is a good time to sample the honeys from my Harvest Host membership, I book a free night at a rum distillery, Wildcat Brothers. I find the system really useful: you can spend the night (usually never more than two) on the private property of a business. Usually are places that have a lot of land (or a huge parking lot) and do not mind hosting one or several RVs for a day. Farms, distilleries, wineries... In return -although it is not mandatory-, it is recommended to consume whatever they offer. And since being grateful is well born, at this stop I decided to enjoy a rum tasting that my host kindly offers me upon arrival (after notifying me, yes, that the pond next to which I have parked has resident crocodiles for whom anything that moves nearby, especially at night, becomes their unceremonious "flesh tasting". At that point, me and Monroe exchanged glances and mentally decided our few survival options by feeding each other to the aligator in case the moment arrives.

The next day, and surprisingly without a hangover, we visit Avery Island, the spiciest place on earth: The factory where all the Tabasco consumed in the world is made. Interesting place with monumental Jungle Gardens. The island is not a real island, but the place has a haunting charm that I repeatedly encounter in the southern states. It may have to do with his slave-owning past, or it may be the crocodiles that I never see but lurk around, or it may be the scent of rum mixed with spicy. Namely!

Monroe being trained (unsuccesfully) as aligator bait.

And after this brief foray into the world of spicy food, I'm on my way to one of the main destinations of this trip: New Orleans.