Royal Canadian Mint and "The Forks"

On the road from Lake Winnipeg to The Royal Canadian Mint in Winnipeg. Nice City. One thing that we noticed in Manitoba is that they appear t be very bilingual. French is first on signage and displays.  I never knew that there was a large french population here.

Arrived early at the Mint (had 1pm reservation) Wasn't busy so got an earlier tour. No pics of the machinery allowed because of trade secrets we are told. They showed and explained how our coins are made and that they have or have had many countries as customers over the years. An average coin  stays in circulation for about 30 years, Who Knew? Then they come back to the mint to be crushed before the mutilated coins can be recycled. 2 mints in Canada, the other in Ottawa.

Flags of all of the Mints customers (almost 1/2 the countries of the world)

Julie holding $750,000 gold bar

Me Too!  Yes it is chained down..

Went into the centre of the city to "The Forks" where the Red River and the Assiniboine Rivers meet. Major meeting place over the centuries for people to trade. Before the European Settlers, the natives also met here to trade with one another, as the rivers in this part of the country flow slowly and are still used for moving freight and travel. The city has done a wonderful job of developing parks and trials and markets around this area. Much like Granville Island or Westminster Key...

Selfie of us on an old train bridge at "The Forks"

Walked to St. Boniface Mission Museum as Julie wanted to go there because through historical records that she has been searching, her grandfather may have been adopted from here. Part of the museum went into detail about Louis Riel as his family homesteaded nearby and was quite a supporter of the human rights movement of the day. Was hung for treason by the government. This information expanded our knowledge of the Batoche uprising and why he went to Saskaatchewan. Was quite interesting about Louis Riel. 

St Boniface Cathedral

St Boniface Mission

Cathedral in The mission for the nuns

St Julie

The St Boniface Mission (Canada's first Hospital) housed the Catholic Church Nuns who cared for the ill and for orphans.  Albert Gladu Senior may have been adopted from here.

Man on the left is William Gladu, potential relative of people who adopted Albert Sr.

After leaving the museum, walked back to the Forks for early dinner, when it started to rain. Drove out of town to Steinebach and bunked down in a Walmart parking lot.