43 THE JEWISH HOME FEBRUARY 26, 2015
Downtown Louisiana
ana governors. Each governor had his own room built in this huge White House-esque building, and you can see artifacts belonging to each of them. The USS Kidd sits on the bank of the Mississippi River and it saw action in the Pacific Theater of WWII, as well as in Korea until it was retired in 1964. Visitors can tour the ship and sit inside the gunners’ seat, imagining what it was like for servicemen in the line of fire. Finally, the Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center lets you explore a swamp without the need of a boat. Though alligators do roam around here, the staff ensures guests’ safety, and the environment is quite relaxing. Other wildlife includes bobcats, foxes and turtles. Lafayette: As the center of Acadiana (Cajun Country), Lafayette is one of the few places where one can hear Louisiana French being spoken. The village of Vermilionville is a journey back in time to the Acadian settler period of the late 18th century. Immerse yourself in Cajun culture here with recreated period homes, costumed staff demonstrating traditional crafts, and a uniquely Cajun version of Mardi Gras. For a more condensed history of the Cajun people, check out the Acadian Cultural Center where you can learn everything about this little-known culture from its clothing, music, food, and the impact it has had on Louisiana’s history. And if you happen to be in Lafayette at the end of April, the Festival Internationale de Louisiane is a welcome alternative to the expensive and often overcrowded New Orleans Jazz Festival. Other attractions: One of Louisiana’s best sites outside of its major cities is Avery Island. Home to the Tabasco hot sauce bottling plant, the island has been churning out this internationally popular condiment since the 1860’s. After a tour of the bottling plant, visitors are led into the gift shop, which sells everything Tabasco from sweatshirts to cookbooks to candy and more. Outside the Tabasco factory, Avery Island is an exotic bird and plant refuge. The two sanctuaries, Jungle Gardens and Bird City, are open to the public. And no trip to Louisiana would be complete without a visit to at least one plantation. One of the most interesting
plantations is Destrehan, the oldest of its kind in the Lower Mississippi Valley area. This beautiful antebellum mansion has an original document signed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. It is also where the trial for the 1811 Slave Revolt took place. The Union Army later seized the mansion and turned it into a trade school for newly freed slaves. Today, visitors can not only tour the interior, but can also see daily period craft demonstrations including indigo dyeing, 18th century carpenting, and sugar cane processing. One of Louisiana’s most photographed sights is the breathtaking Oak Alley Plantation. Featured in many films, Oak Alley has been a popular venue not only for tourism, but also for weddings and parties. Against the backdrop of Oak Alley’s stunning opulence lie the slave quarters, a reminder of the fact that the mansion and the surrounding sugar plantation were built and maintained by nearly 200 enslaved people. A permanent exhibit telling the story of the Oak Alley slaves was established two years ago. One of the most fascinating Louisiana plantations is Laura, located just down the road from Oak Alley in the town of Vacherie on the Mississippi River. Built in the Creole style and inhabited for seven generations by a Creole family along with their slaves, Laura tells the unfiltered story of life on a sugar plantation. Thousands of documents from the French National Archives were used to create a 70-minute tour showing what life was like for the women, children, slaves, and plantation owners who once lived here. Laura Plantation’s most well-known contribution to popular culture is the West African folk songs sung by former slaves “Brer Rabbit” and “Brer Fox.” These songs were recorded in the 1870’s by Professor Alcee Fortier, a folklorist who lived near Laura. Daven and Eat: Chabad Lubavitch of Louisiana is located at 7037 Freret Street, New Orleans, (see chabad-nola.org or 504-866-5164.) Another Chabad center is located in the Metairie suburb of New Orleans at 4141 W Esplanade Ave N, (see jewishlouisiana. com or call 504-454-2910.) Also in Metairie is Beth Israel Congregation, a Modern Orthodox shul. They are located at 4004 W Esplanade Ave., (see
bethisraelnola.com or call 504-454-5080.) Finally, there is Congregation Anshe Sfard in New Orleans at 2230 Carondelet Street in the Garden District, (see anshesfard.org or call 504-522-4714,) Besides Chabad-sponsored catering and kosher food at local supermarkets, there are several kosher restaurants including Kosher Cajun Deli & Grocery in Metairie (koshercajun.com), the Moroccan/ Middle Eastern Casablanca Restaurant in Metairie (kosherneworleans.com), and the Chalav Yisrael Waffles on Maple (facebook.com/270538836455427).
For kashrus details, contact the Louisiana Kashrus Committee at 504-454-2910 or rabbi@louisianakosher.com Getting There: Roundtrip flights from LAX to New Orleans cost from $300 to $600 per person. Roundtrip Amtrak tickets start at around $320 per person while Greyhound is in the $400 range. (Sources: Wikitravel, Lonely Planet)
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