I looked after the baggage while B queued for his ticket, getting it just in time. But he wasted a few Euros on a ticket for me because he didn't realise that I was on a railpass that day. We shared second class with lots of students headed for Belfort. There I discovered that the scenic route I wanted to take to Nancy via Épinal didn't start until July. Perhaps SNCF had made some cuts in services after I had done my research. My plan to stay the night in Nancy and do the short run to Strasbourg first thing in the morning was in tatters. I couldn't stay in Belfort, the first train to Strasbourg got in too late to meet my friend. So I would have to hope that there was a free bed in Strasbourg that night.
In the meantime we could lunch then explore for a couple of hours. After a while I lost interest in Belfort so I found an Internet terminal near the station to check my email while B walked some more. Eventually the train came, and we reached Strasbourg about 1830, where we parted. B would return to Germany by crossing the Rhine.
Ciarus, the hostel I had booked at, was an organisation that promoted mutual understanding through peaceful encounters. It was very appropriate for Alsace, a province that had suffered through 4 changes of hand in 75 years of enmity between France and Germany, finally becoming a location of the European Parliament.
I had all of a 3 bunk room to myself. The shower had a push tap which I had to depress periodically to keep the water coming. But the place was very comfy so really I had no complaints. I had a forgettable but cheap dinner at €4,90 in the cafeteria, then I took a walk around the outside of the island, leaving the inside for the next day. I made a note of a wine shop in the shopping centre where I could buy presents for my friends in Zürich.
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