Whistler

British Columbia continued to display its beauty as we drove to Whistler. We were back in the mountains. The roads were much more crowded as we headed south towards Whistler. We were not the only car on the road. Construction was in full swing as they were enlarging the bridges from 1+ lanes to 2 lanes. One had to be cautious before crossing the bridges on this part of the highway.


Remnants from the Olympics were seen all over Whistler. The Olympic symbol was proudly displayed. The signs guiding tourists around the city were plentiful. This town was a tourist site filled with condos, a beautiful marketplace, a museum, and all season outdoor activities. Whistler offers a lot of activities for children. Bike lanes were crowded with families biking, roller blading or skate boarding.

The Squamish Lilwat Cultural Centre (Aboriginal Museum) was beautiful. This was in sharp contrast to the previous First Nation museum we visited. The architecture of this museum was striking as well as beautiful. The place offered exhibits about the culture of these two groups. Whistler was important to both the Squamish and Lilwat aboriginals. Clothing was displayed. If one was lucky enough to get on a tour, then jackets and head dresses could be touched as well. Crafts were taught. Culture was emphasized, not history. The museum was built three years ago, in time for the Olympics.


The mountains leaving Whistler were as beautiful as the ones we saw on our arrival. This place was stunning. I can see why skiers love the steep slopes. The road from Whistler south towards Vancouver was improved for the Olympics. At many points along the road south there would be three or four lanes of highway. Improving the roads for the Olympics must have been a national priority. Our drive south was easy.

We decided to stop at Alice Lake Campground on our way toward Vancouver. This place offered flush toilets and showers. When we arrived all the signs stated the campsites were full. We pushed our luck and asked if something was available. We procured an RV site for the night with electrical outlets. Since most of our previous campsites had been setup for RVs, we were not worried about setting up our tent on RV space. Sandy and I were experts at attaching the tent rain fly to trees, rocks or local brush. There was no way we could pound our tent stakes into the hard surface. Having the electrical outlet box allowed us to recharge all our computers, cell phones and camera batteries. We were roughing it with modern conveniences. The shower felt wonderful. This place was packed, probably due to its proximity to Vancouver and the upcoming weekend. It was fortunate that we arrived on a Thursday night. When we left folks were waiting in line for campsites.