Manitoba: Land of Slurpees, sex dens, whales and polar bears

Manitoba wants you to know that they have no shortage of claims to fame. Here are just a few of the things that they are boasting about on Travel Manitoba's website:

Slurpee Capital of the World: The province's 800,000 citizens consume nearly half a million each month, no matter what the season.

Biggest Sex Dens: No, not that kind, but snake dens for red-sided garter snakes. They appear by the thousands in early May to mate (good viewing around Mother's Day).

More Beluga Whales: With 57,000 of them, that makes Manitoba the top spot to see them (plus you can swim with them).

Western Canada's Largest Winter Festival: The Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg is Western Canada's largest. This year it's Feb. 18-27, 2011.

More Curling Clubs: Manitoba has more curling clubs than Ontario and Quebec combined.

Largest Icelandic Community: Gimli, Manitoba has the largest Icelandic community outside of Iceland.

Largest Collection of Prehistoric Marine Fossils: You'll find these at the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden.

World's Most Northerly Port: Located on Hudson Bay, Churchill is the Polar Bear Capital of the World.

Passing through Manitoba on VIA Rail Canada in 2009
Photo by Sue Frause