Whistler

Thibault and I had one day where we went our separate ways. Thibault went mountain biking, down Whistler Mountain. Seeing the lads coming hurtling down these trails looked terrifying to me. Someone did say that the big source of Paralympic athletes in Canada was from the ranks of extreme sportsmen for whom something went terribly wrong.

But first some observations on Whistler. My first impressions were poor - its a sort of Disneyfication of a village. But I eventually warmed to it, especially the convenience of everything being organised and compact. And well signposted.

 Whistler was home to skiing for the winter Olympics, and so has a little Olympic Park

Anyway, while Thibault went off doing extreme sports, I did something more befitting a man of my age. I found an art gallery, specifically the Audain Art Museum. Very reasonably it specialises in Canadian Art. However, I can't say much of it impressed me. The Museum building however was really cool.

 

This abstract art work is made out of adidas trainers.

And this totem pole is created out of backpacks.

I then intended to go on a hike to the Lost Lake, but first got distracted by a short nature trail by a river.

 If you are wondering what this is, yes its a tree trunk, but one marked by a bear's srcatches.

 Anyway, enough of that I was in search of the Lost Lake, which despite its name is really easy to find from Whistler.

 One end of the lake has a beach, from which the really hardy were willing to swim into the water.

The reward for the swimmers prepared to brave the water was an artificial bathing platform in the middle.

 One can walk right around the lake. So I did.

 After that hike I had just time to get to Lake Alta before meeting up with the sporting hero for dinner. Unfortunately this meant skirting the golf course. With all this scenery and proper sports, why another sodding golf course here of all places?

 The lake is huge and is used for water sports.

 I met up with the man at our allotted hour to find he had only spent half the day mountain biking and the rest on some strenuous hike that I couldn't have managed. Ah well, back to the pace of a more elderly gentleman from now on Thibault. But first dinner at the Araxi, best restaurant this side of Whistler. Very decent meal.