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Day 1 PEG CITY'S TOP TOURIST DRAWS The French don't mess around when it comes to flavourful food, so start your morning in St. Boniface, Winnipeg's French Quarter, and do as the locals do with breakfast at the always-popular Marion St. Eatery or Promenade Café and Wine for their tasty and pronounced portions. If you want to get your day straight underway, grab a croissant from Le Croissant (whose Alsace owners are expert bakers) or a carefully crafted coffee at Café Postal to get that French café experience. At either of these locations you'll feel the Francophone vibe of Old St. Boniface — a vibe that flows throughout its charming streets where you'll encounter the oldest building in Winnipeg (and the largest oak log building in North America), Le Musée de St. Boniface. The museum pays homage to the region's original rebel and Métis leader, Louis Riel, and the stunning St. Boniface Cathedral, whose stone façade is a sight to behold as the sun pours through. Once you've taken in the French flavour, stroll over the stylish Esplanade Riel where Winnipeg's striking skyline is in full view as the Red River rushes beneath you. In the midst of the bridge is Chez Sophie Sur Le Pont, Canada's only bridge-situated eatery (and a fine one at that), while continuing west you will arrive at The Forks, Manitoba's most popular tourist attraction. For over six millennia, The Forks, which marks the meeting point of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, has served as a meeting place for Aboriginal Peoples. It's now Manitoba's biggest tourist attraction and while it would take days to experience all that its 54 acres has to offer — as the site's four million annual visitors will tell you — Parks Canada offers guided tours like "6000 Years in 60 Minutes" and the "Cache Me If You Can" high-tech hunt that reveal its storied history while providing family fun and adventure. At a glance, certain other non-misses are the harbour in front of The Forks Market where one can get in a pontoon boat for relaxing and scenic views of the river banks and the cityscape; the world-class skate park (because seeing daredevil athletes riding up ramps with the city as a backdrop makes for photographic magic); the Variety Heritage Adventure Park, where kids can explore the whimsical equipment depicting the history of the province; and of course, The Forks Market itself where you can shop, explore and indulge amongst its countless international food stalls, boutiques, wine and cheese shops, and fine food stores. While you could spend hours exploring The Forks, be sure to give yourself enough time in the afternoon for the Canadian Winnipeg in Four Days Most of the glamour shots of Winnipeg you see these days are generally taken from the banks of historic St. Boniface, looking west over the Red River across the stylish Esplanade Riel and onto the now-iconic Canadian Museum for Human Rights. There is a reason for this — the whole scene is one you can't miss, especially if you only have one day in the city, so it is on this route that we shall begin. Skyline: Dan Harper The Forks: Dan Harper St. Boniface: Mike Sudoma 12 2015 OFFICIAL VISITOR'S GUIDE Winnipeg