Manitoba is full of fascinating places and colourful people. Read this entertaining and lighthearted collection of facts from every part of our middle province: - The grey owl is Manitoba's official bird - According to one source, the Harlequin Romance publishing empire had its roots in the windy city of Winnipeg - The Golden Boy, a bronze statue wrapped in 24-carat gold, is proudly perched atop the dome of the Provincial Buildings - The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is a jewel in the crown of Winnipeg's art scene. Not only does it produce world-renowned dancers like Karen Kain, it's the oldest dance company in Canada and second oldest in North America - Winnipeg's Royal Canadian Mint has produced currency for 60 countries other than Canada - Lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba might cover a huge portion of the province, but they're really considered a shrunken lake the remains of Lake Agassiz, originally larger than all five Great Lakes combined - According to 7-Eleven statistics, Winnipeggers down 400,000 slurpees per month, propelling the city to the annals of history as the Slurpee Capital of the World - Manitoba boasts 2300 hours of sunlight each year - The town of Gladstone is a happy, happy place, and townsfolk even proved it by erecting and painting the town's roadside mascot, Mr. Happy Rock

- The town of Neepawa prides itself in being the Lily Capital of the World.

And so many more fun and interesting tidbits…

Bestselling author Lisa Wojna has authored or co-authored more than 20 books for Blue Bike Books, including Weird Canadian Laws and the Bathroom Book of Canadian Quotes. She has also written many other non-fiction books. Having worked in the community newspaper industry as a writer and journalist, she has traveled all over Canada from the windy prairies of Manitoba to northern British Columbia and even to the wilds of Africa. Although writing and photography have been a central part of her life for as long as she can remember, it’s the people behind every story that are her motivation and give her the most fulfillment.

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