Dom Ambros Again, Dinner, Siebenstern Brewery

Monday 16.8.2010

          Met Dom Ambros (see Friday 6.8.2010) post for lunch. He was in civilian clothing (rather than his habit) which was interesting to see. Monica, Martha, Dom Ambros and I went out for lunch to a Jewish place, got these wraps which were pretty good. After that he took us to the Kapuzinerkirche crypt for a look at the imperial bodies. Dom Ambros got us in for free by saying he was a canon at Klosterneuburg and that we were students. He described it as “the only perk of being a clergyman in Vienna.” We went down to the crypt and Ambros described to us all of the Habsburgs and their adventures and lineage and things they were famous for. He said he knew so much about the Habsburgs because he has a good friend who is a Habsburg, one Moritz. Dom Ambros is a very interesting guy. Anyway many of the coffins or sarcophagi or what have you are covered in skulls and bones and crowns (sculpted of course) and one gets the impression of being in a pirate treasure cove. Maria Theresia and her husband had by far the largest sarcophagus. After learning about all the emperors and marveling at the crypt, which is in fact quite a site, we resurfaced and went to Café Tirolerhof for coffee and cake. We talked a lot and stared out the window at the rain and tried to feel depressed, in true Viennese fashion. In any case another very interesting and enjoyable day. I consider myself very fortunate to have met Dom Ambros.

          After we parted ways, Monica and I wandered around the Innere Stadt. It’s the most interesting part of the city and she still hadn’t seen it. Hofburg and the like. Later I made dinner and invited some friends, and it was fun. I talked with Martha and Stephanie a lot about Ruth Klüger’s book and concentration camps. Very interesting conversation. After dinner some of us returned to the Siebenstern Brewery (I’d been there once before and we had some problems with the waiter), a local brewery near our apartment which makes its own (very good) beer. I had a Prague Dark but the Rauchbier (smoke beer) which I had the last time I went is also very good. So lots of beer and conversation. That was the end of my night.