Whistler, Canada

Today I am on my way to Whistler from Vancouver.  I had so many choices for my mode of transportation,  what ever shall I choose? A shuttle, a taxi, or a bus?  Those are the obvious, but I wanted something a little different.  How about a private car service!!  Heck, I've always wanted to be chauffeured  around while traveling!

So I contacted "Whistler Wired".  My driver picked me up right on time, and he was very informative about Whistler.  

Now, my driver did like sharing some wonderful information about Whistler, but I truly loved that he was willing to help me capture some of this beauty on our drive up.

My accommodations for the next 3 days is at the gorgeous Westin Resort and Spa, which is ideally located in the centre of Whistler Village, just steps from the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain gondolas.



The Westin has a modern feel with a twist of the outdoors. Grizzly Bear and all! 

While checking in I asked a couple of questions about the area and discovered that there is a wonderful trail that leads to Lost Lake.  Alright I definitely have to check out this Lost Lake and find out why it seems to be a must see, but first I have to see my room.

And this is my view!



Time for a little exploring now!  I don't know if you realize this or not, but I am actually in the 2010 Winter Olympics Village.  This is where all the athletes stayed during the events.  As I am walking around, I remember my driver had mentioned that Whistler is divided into 2 villages. One is the Upper Village and the other is the Lower Village. The Lower Village is popp'in with summer adventurers and people of all ages doing twirls and flips on their mountain bikes.  I loved seeing people sitting outside some of the colorful restaurants having a quick bite and a beer chatting it up about their agenda for tomorrow.



I thought I would do some window shopping, I was a kid in a candy store popping in and out of shops like Lulu Lemon, a Canadian based company, NorthFace, Columbia, Foot Locker and many more.  I continue on through the cobblestone pathway guiding me through the delightful floral arrangements complete with streams and waterfalls.



I stumble a cross a giant replica of the Olympic rings and behind it is a grass area used for event space, continuing on around the corner there are more shops and restaurants.

All that walking and window shopping made me a bit hungry.  I thought it would be great to actually go back to my room and enjoy the view and relax while I had a little something to eat.  With so many choices I decided to ask the Concierge at my hotel for his recommendations on a good place that delivers!  He recommended Avalanche Pizza which just so happens to be the best pizza in Whistler!   Organic pizza and gluten free pizza dough.  The owner of the company, Rick, is originally from Toronto. When he decided to move to Whistler he opened Avalanche Pizza and he has been the only business in 20 years that has lasted here in the village.  He made me a special pizza, one half of it was called the butter chicken also known as the curry chicken, the other half of the pizza had spinach and mushrooms with sprinkled ricotta cheese. I have never had any pizza or seen any pizza like this one. Make sure to try his pies when you are in Whistler. They truly are a great pizza place.

Well this girl needs to get rested up!
Because Whistler has a great variety of activities you can do!

If you have been following me and my travels, you know how much I love a great adrenaline rush!  And there are plenty of outdoor activities for me to choose from to fulfill this, need for speed!   Hmmm, which shall I choose?

Zip lining?  Riding an ATV?  Mountain biking?

Well who said I had to pick just one?

I've decided to fill my day tomorrow with some outdoor activities to get the adrenaline pumping through my veins!! 

Cliffs of Moher

 

Today I am heading to one of Irelands most visited attractions, The Cliffs of Moher! Yes, I am a tourist and I must see this natural wonder.

The cliffs take their name from an old fort called Moher, which once stood on Hag's Head, the southernmost point of the cliffs.

The Cliffs of Moher are located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, Ireland. They rise 394ft (120 m) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head and reach their maximum height of 702ft (214m).





There are many options for getting to the Cliffs, but I have chosen once again, Lally Tours!  Because Lally Tours personnel were so friendly and accommodating to my needs when I went to the Aran Islands (read about my day here ) I knew that I would be in good hands!

Lally Tours offers a non-stop express service that is a non-guided shuttle service to the Cliffs of Moher.  Plus I get a 2 full hours to explore on my own!

 

Needless to say, the views are breathtaking!

 

 

 

O’Brien’s Tower was built in 1835 by Cornelius O’ Brien, a descendant of Brian Boru, the High King Of Ireland. Cornelius was the local landowner and was a man ahead of his time, believing that the development of tourism would benefit the local economy & bring the people out of poverty

 

The tower stands proudly on a headland of the Cliffs of Moher

 

 

The Burren Way is a short walking route of 26.5 miles (45km), which follows the Clare coastline, Cliffs of Moher and crosses the limestone plateau.

I won't be walking 26 miles, but I did enjoy a much shorter walk on the Cliffs! 

 

 

 

 

If you ever find yourself in Ireland, Cliffs of Moher are a must see, believe me!  But I must head to the East side of Ireland now and check out what Dublin has to offer!



Aran Islands

This morning I am anxious to take a little cruise over to the Aran Islands!

And to help me do this I booked with a great tour company "Lally Tours"

From my hotel I took a bus to the city center of Galway where I then made a short 5 minute walk to Lally Tours.

Lally Tours gets you to where you need to go!  They worked with my schedule and provided me the bus and ferry transfers I needed to get to the Aran Islands.  However, once on Inis Mor, (Inishmore) I was free to roam this beautiful island on my own!

After about 40 minutes, I could see that my decision to visit Inis Mor was going to be amazing!

Note:  Lally Tours does not provide transportation once on the Aran Islands.  However, there are options on getting around once you disembark from the ferry.  You can choose from a line of vehicles waiting with locals ready to take you on your adventure, or rent a bike and peddle the island.  I chose a driver with a van!

The island of Inis Mór (Inishmore) meaning the big island, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland.  It is Well known internationally with over 50 different monuments of Christian, pre Christian and Celtic mythological heritage. There isn’t far you can go before being somewhere where there’s something of historical interest and little reason to question its importance in modern Irish Culture.

Dun Aonghasa is Isnis Mor's biggest attraction and that is where I'm headed!

Oh but wait, I must have a picture of this traditional Irish home!



I better let you know that once you arrive at Dun Aonghasa..........

...........You must walk to get to the top!

That's where I'm headed, see it?

A beautiful view looking back at the Atlantic Ocean

Happy Cows!

Kind of looks like the surface of the moon, don't you think?

And at the top, the views are unbelievable!!

Located on the 300ft cliff side or south side of Inismór, Dun Aonghasa is a semi circular stone fort over looking the Atlantic with daunting and dramatic views that stretch the length of the Island.

Just to give you a little perspective on just how small these passage ways are, I'm 5'3" tall!!

While making my way back to the ferry I was able to see more of the country side and history of this island.

A mix of old with the new

Since I have a new friend, I will have to make sure I come back!

I loved sharing my day on Inis Mor with you!  And again please consider Lally Tours and tell them Carla from Carlas Got The Travel Bug sent you!!