We spent about 30 minutes giving the 3 inspectors a tour of the motorhome and discussing food accompaniments for the wine we had on board.

Finally we were back on the road and headed for Winnipeg, our home for the next 4 nights.

Of Canada's 10 provinces, Manitoba is the 8th we have visited together over the years.

The 20th dawned as a nice day and it seemed like a good idea to see some of the city since it wouldn't be busy downtown on a Sunday.

We started with the Fort Whyte Centre, but decided to visit only the prairie dogs and bison only before heading downtown.

On the way into the city we visited "The Forks" a shopping and sight-seeing area near the confluence of the Red and Assinaboine Rivers; the confluence of these two major rivers is the reason Winnipeg is located here.

Of course we also drove by Portage and Main Streets - the center of the city, also known as the coldest corner in Canada.

We made a short stop at the provincial legislature where there is a monument honoring the war brides who arrived in Canada in 1946; one of whom carried my husband in her arms as she traveled across the ocean to a land she had never seen.

When I studied Canadian history in school, we learned that Louis Riel was a villian - a traitor and a murderer. He was exiled to Montana in 1875, he returned to Canada and was later hanged for his "crimes" in 1885.

Now, it seems that Riel has been elevated to the status of statesman and martyr, and is hailed as the founder of the province of Manitoa. I wasn't there so I can express with any certainty which account is correct, I just include them as an example of the flexability of history!

On Monday we went to the Royal Canadian Mint to see where Canada's money comes from; where it goes is still the subject of several government inquiries! All of the Canada's circulated coins are made at the Winnipeg mint; collectible coins are made in Ottawa.