Day Trip to Vienna

On Saturday, Franciscan University made its day trip to Vienna. At 10AM our buses arrived at the church Kapuzinerkloster in old Vienna where we then had Mass. The student body then split into groups and we began our walking tour of Vienna. As we walked through the city Father Seraphim Beshoner, head of our group, pointed out the most notable features, most important of which was probably the Irish pub (and I don't say that to trivialize all the other notable features. The Irish pub is just that

important). We stopped and toured several churches and historical buildings including St. Stephen's cathedral and the Hofburg imperial palace. Also, I met Sammy, the 7 year-old son of one of the FUS staff, on this trip. Sammy's pretty cool: he can speak German, English, and Slavic (though being bi- or trilingual isn't uncommon here like it is in the United States), and he's very witty as well.

Sammy (left), Father Seraphim (right)

We then ended our walking tour with lunch around 2PM at Melker Stiftskeller where I got to try their house beer, Hofbrauhaus Traunstein . . . at least, I believe that's what they call it. Once we concluded our lunch I was on my own until the buses departed at 8PM. Wanting to see the Schonbrunn palace I joined a group of about a dozen other students and together we hopped on the underground and emerged twenty minutes later outside the park that surrounds the Schonbrunn itself. Here we were able to walk the gardens, get an excellent view of the city below, and tour the palace itself. We eventually got lost in the park as we tried to find our way back to the underground but eventually we found our way . . . only to get lost again in the city looking for the Opera house - which is where we were to meet the buses. Unfortunately we didn't have the time to stay for the Opera or stop at that Irish pub we walked directly past (the very same Father Seraphim had pointed out earlier) so we got some food to go before returning to Gaming.

Steve and I enjoying our lunch

Outside the Greenhouse at the park

brother and sister household

looking down on Vienna

Today, the students finally had an opportunity to tour the Kartause itself. The Architect, who not only owns the Kartause but was responsible for its renovation over twenty years ago, gave a talk in the church highlighting the importance of the Kartause from its conception to its present day. I don't know his name as he was introduced to us simply as The Architect. Even his secretary who has worked for him for over 25 years refers to him so. We also got to visit the bell tower, library, ballroom, and the three chapels present on the grounds - one of which is a beautiful Byzantine chapel with its religious icons hand-painted by the ITI theology students who used to stay there until last summer.

Apparently the Kartause monastery used to have a series of secret tunnels as well, until the Russians destroyed them during their occupation. Now, however, I must return to my studies as classes begin again tomorrow and I'm supposed to have the entire book of John read by that afternoon.

Oh, also, I was told today that I look like Peter Pan. I thought that was pretty hilarious.