11/06/07
Well, at least they let me have a coffee refill...
There was a Japanese girl in my room, named Hiroko, and since we were both bound for Salzburg, we got on the same train.
In this same train, I got acquainted with another Japanese.
To describe him, his physiognomy was akin to such people that wears tank top and a straw hat, regardless of the season,
and whose vibrant personality convinces you that he must have enjoyed catching cicadas with a net during his childhood.
His name was Takanobu.
He was a fourth year student at Waseda University in Tokyo,
( he didn't say he was in the 'final year' as he intended to repeat his year),
and he has come over to Europe, skiving all the lectures, for a total of one month.
The way he financed his trip was rather interesting and chilling at the same time.
He undertook couple of clinical trials, which had 1/6000th chance of heart stopping, and earned a 'hefty money'.
Despite this 'hefty money', his budget seemed rather tight, for he says he's been eating Mcdonalds' six days in a row.
Nevertheless, he was praising Mcdonals for its omnipresence and the consistency of taste.
Oh what an optimist, I thought.
Looks like Waseda has got a lot of weird people, with no offence.
I arrived in Salzburg just before noon.
Takanobu, who, being an optimist, does not book hostels in advance (by definition).
So, he decided to stay at the same hostel as mine.
In the afternoon, I walked around the city and took some city photographs.
I visited the HohenSalzburg (a castle).
As I was treading up the hill, I met the two Americans, who happened to be in the same room at the hostel.
They were both from Rhode Island.
The entrance fee was 7 euros and that included an audio guide tour.
I learnt that Salzburg means 'salt castle', named after the bustling salt trade that made the city to prosper.
In those days, salt was a precious material for preserving food.
After my visit to the castle, I continued with my walking taking photos here and there.
I met many people in the youth hostel.
