| Winnipeg, Manitoba is a small city (pop. 700 000 apx.) located in the center of Canada, it is the capital of the forementioned province and is also the 4th largest Canadian city. This however may change soon due to rapid growth of other cities such as Calgary and Edmonton Alberta. Winnipeg is best known for its cold (and I mean cold) winters with temperatures dropping below -40 degrees with windchill, for several weeks of the winter months. Winnipeg also recieves a great deal of snow due to the fact that it is surrounded by several huge lakes (Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg) as well both the Red River and the Assiniboine River running though the center of the city. In contrast however, the summers in Winnipeg are very hot; temperatures of 30 degrees Celcius are not uncommon in the months of July and August. Winnipeg has also been labeled a dangerous city in some respects as it has been the murder capital of Canada per capita several years in my recent memory. Dispite all this Winnipegers or winter pigs as they are so fondly called are friendly and welcome tourisim with open arms.
Great places to visit when in Winnipeg are not so numerous as other cities but the ones you find here are quite unique.
Corydon Village is a small Italian neighboorhood that is quite hip where you can find many resturants, lounges and small boutiques. Nearby is Osborne Village, a trendy neighboorhood with many shops, tattoo parlors, hair salons and the famous Toad in the Hole Pub.
The Forks is a newer tourist destination, set at the site where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet. It is home to many shops and resturants. Visitors can also take boat rides in the summer, go ice skating in the winter or walk along the footpaths which line the shores of the rivers. A huge outdoor stage was added for outdoor concerts.
The Exchange District was formerly a warehouse and prostituion area, which has been cleaned up and now offers, upscale dining, nightclubs, art galleries and loft housing. Film makers have also found this neighborhood excellent for period films as it has one of the few remaining street corners in Canada that consists of only original buildings. While in Winnipeg it would also be worth while to see a performance by the famous Royal Winnipeg Ballet or see a play at the Manitoba Theatre Center.
All in all Winnipeg is a diverse and interesting Canadian city, housing is very affordable as is education, (there are two major Universities located in the city as well as several smaller institutions). Most other living costs are comparable to other Canadian cities. GST is 7%, PST is 7% and bus fare is under $2.00 and is fairly reliable. Plus the drinking age is only 18 (yeah) | 
