A little place called Linz

From the Austrian capital I rode the train to a little place called Linz. It's a city big and important enough to be included on general maps and, to my surprise, has the distinctive honour of being this year's European Capital of Culture. Actually, the running joke among the citizens is that it was a surprise for them as well that Linz is the European Capital of Culture. Oh those Austrians and their disarming self-deprecating humour.

Adolf Hitler came from Austria but his humour was not so...disarming or self-deprecating or...developed.

I enjoyed my brief visit with my friend and her counter-culture friends. They were all kind and playful and principally comprised of artists, dj's, taggers, reggae lovers, students, eco-conscious rebels...y'know, hippies. I felt like Freud in a Jungian den of bohemians.

For all of its littleness, Linz is pretty high-tech and forward moving. Free wi-fi was accessible in the town square from any of the several cafes or a bench unlike Innsbruck where they've hardly even heard of wireless fidelity let alone 'wi-fi'; futuristic-looking trams zipped pass; there's the ARS Electronica Center (aka computer museum) and Modern Art Museum whose glass wall buildings reverberate with light and sound designs. Watching the buildings is like seeing a fireworks display architecturally imprisoned.

We went to see "Inglorious Basterds." Enjoyed it! Had more of a good time in Linz than I had in Vienna.