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