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At the northern end of Hwy 10, about 60km from Cranberry Portage, the mining township of FLIN FLON , on the Saskatchewan border, gouges copper, gold, lead and zinc from a massive seam that was discovered in 1914. A stark, rough-looking town, full of precipitously steep streets, where the houses are built on sheer rock in a barren landscape, Flin Flon takes its unusual name from the hero of an obscure dime-novel entitled The Sunless City , which one of the first prospectors was reading at the time of the discovery. In the book, Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin builds a submarine and enters the bowels of the earth, where he discovers that everything is made of gold. The nearest you'll come to his trip is on the free guided tours of the town's Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Plant (June-Aug Mon, Wed & Fri 8.30am; 2hr; reservations tel 687-2050; over-16s only). Surprisingly, you'll see greenhouses in the depths of the mine, the warm and humid conditions being perfect for growing flowers such as orchids. The mine was due to shut down in 2004, a move that would have meant the end of Flin Flon, but in the summer of 2000 the biggest industrial investment in Manitoba, some $400 million from mining companies, ensured the mine's and the town's future. Aside from the mine, there's not much to see in Flin Flon, except in July, the town's liveliest month, when it hosts the Trout Festival, with a parade, a Queen Mermaid Pageant, the Great Northern Duck Race - and the tantalizing smell of frying fish. The town's bus station is right in the centre at 63 3rd Ave. About 1km to the east, along Hwy 10A, the tourist office (May to end of Sept daily 8am-8pm; tel 687-9758) adjoins the main campsite (tel 687-9758; $13-15; May-Sept) with a large statue of the intrepid Flintabbatey Flonatin opposite. If you do end up in these parts, you can stay at the cheap and central hotel Royal , at 93 Main St (tel 687-3437, fax 687-5354; up to $40/$40-60). If you're feeling the pinch of the north's high prices, try the Flin Flon Friendship Centre Hostel , 57 Church St (tel 687-3900, fax 687-5328; up to $40), which offers basic dorm accommodation. For a similarly basic meal , try Mugsy's , on Main St, or the Victoria Inn 's restaurant, 160 Hwy 10.
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