Hiking and Biking

[12:04:35 PM] Katie Symington: Troy-o!
[12:05:37 PM] Troy Symington: Well, hi!
[12:05:52 PM] Katie Symington: Hey! I'm talking to mom right now. What are you up to?
[12:06:17 PM] Troy Symington: Sitting in my hostel in the Swiss Alps!
[12:06:42 PM] Katie Symington: Dude, how awesome is it that you can even say that? ;
[12:06:45 PM] Katie Symington: )
[12:07:14 PM] Troy Symington: I know, right?
[12:07:57 PM] Katie Symington: Super coolio!
[12:08:03 PM] Katie Symington: What did you do today?
[12:08:57 PM] Troy Symington: Hiked around the mountains all day! That's seriously all we did. What are you up to?
[12:10:30 PM] Katie Symington: I am talking with mom and planning out our day. Nick and I will go jogging outside soon--it is BEAUTIFUL out, today will probably be in the eighties again. Mom might come visit us for a bit, maybe dad too, and I want to get some flowers for our patio. Then we are havin dinner with Nick's parents--homemade burgers, yum! Mom and Dad are going out for dinner for their anniversary, which I hope you said congrats to them about!
[12:11:23 PM] Troy Symington: I... might have forgotten it...
[12:12:19 PM] Katie Symington: Uh-oh!
[12:12:39 PM] Katie Symington: You'd better get a postcard or something from Switzerland and send it to them (or keep it and hand it over) because it's neutral territory and they can't get mad at you. ;)
[12:12:56 PM] Katie Symington: It was their 31st anniversary!
[12:13:02 PM] Katie Symington: they will go out probably tonight
[12:13:49 PM] Troy Symington: Very nice! And I don't know how anyone expects me to remember when their anniversary is. The only reason I even remember YOUR birthday is because it's the day after mine!
[12:14:18 PM] Katie Symington: lol
[12:14:34 PM] Katie Symington: Well hmm. I don't know how to help you there.
[12:14:47 PM] Katie Symington: I just remember it
[12:14:50 PM] Katie Symington: ;)
[12:14:57 PM] Katie Symington: Oh well. But perhaps you could give them a belated happy anniversary message on facebook
[12:15:36 PM] Troy Symington: Okay, sounds like a plan.
[12:15:56 PM] Katie Symington: :)
[12:16:00 PM] Katie Symington: What will you do tomorrow?
[12:16:06 PM] Katie Symington: And how is your hostel? Is it nice?
[12:16:55 PM] Troy Symington: Our hostel is pretty standard. It was a bit overpriced just like everything over here in Switzerland (plus this is a total tourist town). But the people are really nice!
[12:18:20 PM] Katie Symington: Awesome! I've never been to a hostel though bud. Can you describe it a bit better?
[12:20:01 PM] Troy Symington: Ummmm... we're in a dorm. Two bunk beds so it fits six people total. But by some stroke of luck we're the only ones in the room! The bathrooms and showers are downstairs, and this hostel is weird and makes you take off your shoes before you go to your room.
[12:20:42 PM] Katie Symington: LOL
[12:20:47 PM] Katie Symington: sounds like fun!
[12:20:55 PM] Katie Symington: What day do you come back again? Sorry I keep forgetting ;)
[12:21:08 PM] Troy Symington: May 19th.
[12:22:40 PM] Katie Symington: I just registered for the Race for the Cure on May 7th
[12:22:42 PM] Katie Symington: :)
[12:23:05 PM] Troy Symington: Do tell...
[12:23:50 PM] Katie Symington: It is a 5k race for the breastcancer cure--you know, Susan G Komen thingimagigger
[12:24:00 PM] Katie Symington: It's right by our apartment and starts at 7:30am
[12:24:05 PM] Katie Symington: I get a t-shirt for my $40!
[12:24:12 PM] Katie Symington: Nick and Andra will do it with me :D
[12:24:22 PM] Troy Symington: Oh wow! Are you gonna practice for it?
[12:25:18 PM] Katie Symington: Definitely! Otherwise I would be totally urgh on the day!
[12:25:45 PM] Katie Symington: I have been running in the gym here with Nick, and I can do 1.5 miles without being too dead. but I definitely need to work up to 3.1! We are goin for a jog outside soon.
[12:26:59 PM] Troy Symington: Ha! That's awesome. Yeah, 5k really isn't as far as it seems. When Quentin put on the run in the park it was a 5k. And I think I ran that pretty well.
[12:27:20 PM] Katie Symington: Cuz you are AWESOME
[12:27:26 PM] Katie Symington: I have never run 3.1 miles, I think.
[12:27:43 PM] Katie Symington: Unless I did in those 20 minute runs we did in pe in weimar
[12:27:51 PM] Katie Symington: But it is a goal for me to work up to!
[12:27:52 PM] Katie Symington: :)
[12:27:58 PM] Katie Symington: Nick and I biked 16 miles yesterday!
[12:28:52 PM] Troy Symington: That's awesome! There's a lot of mountain biking trails around here and it really makes me miss mountain biking. Is there any particular reason you guys bikes 16 miles?
[12:30:43 PM] Katie Symington: Nope. We wanted to go for a bike ride, and around 8 miles or so we realized we had to get back for me to go to work. I'm glad we turned around then though, because by the time we finished getting home my endurance was waning! :)
[12:31:48 PM] Troy Symington: I bet! Back when I was biking a lot we usually only did about 10-15 miles (but that was over hills and trails).
[12:32:00 PM] Katie Symington: Nice!
[12:32:35 PM] Katie Symington: Okay bud, I am gonna get going. I need to make Nick get up and jog! :)
[12:32:41 PM] Katie Symington: I love you! Be safe and have tons of fun, okay?
[12:32:51 PM] Katie Symington: Mwah!
[12:33:21 PM] Troy Symington: Do I have to be safe?
[12:34:13 PM] Katie Symington: YES
[12:34:16 PM] Katie Symington: PBBBT
[12:34:23 PM] Katie Symington: *that was a raspberry*
[12:34:35 PM] Troy Symington: *sigh*
[12:34:36 PM] Troy Symington: Fine.
[12:34:41 PM] Katie Symington: lol ciao dude. love ya!
[12:34:43 PM] Troy Symington: Love ya!
[12:34:54 PM] Troy Symington: Ciao!

Parents in Italy

[3/3/2011 7:12:28 AM] Lisa Symington: hey, sweetie. Do you miss me yet?

[12:01:47 AM] Katie Symington: I gots a mama?

[12:02:39 AM] Lisa Symington: Hey! This izza your papa!

[12:02:54 AM] Katie Symington: Daddy!

[12:02:58 AM] Katie Symington: How is Venice?

[12:03:34 AM] Lisa Symington: Mama is getting dresed-we'll eat BK soon. The room is fine-loud last nite!

[12:04:51 AM] Lisa Symington: Venice is great so far! Not sure what we'll do today.

[12:05:07 AM] Katie Symington: What is for breakfast?

[12:05:34 AM] Lisa Symington: Continental-cofffee and rolls, i think?

[12:05:52 AM] Katie Symington: Is continental the same in Italy as it is here? Enjoy it!

[12:06:06 AM] Katie Symington: I sent you guys a facebook message about what's going on here.

[12:06:41 AM] Lisa Symington: OK-thanks. We're going to eat now. Have a great day. We love you!

[12:07:03 AM] Katie Symington: Love you too! Have fun!

Message Between the Whole Family on Facebook

Katie: Hey ya'll!

Troy, this way you can talk to all three of us at once without repeating yourself (too much.)

Kindly update us about your days on here.

I will start: I am falling asleep and it just not yet 10. That is what a day of hyper kids and crying 2nd graders will do to you. Tomorrow is the first day of the week I don't have something going on in the morning! I am going to enjoy sleeping in!

Love you!

Troy: Hey guys! Weeeell... I had a very american evening with lots of the people from Accent. We all went to a club called Twice which was ridiculously crowded but fun (Alec stayed home to get some sleep). I slept in today and I plan on going to the Chocolate Festival soon! The Chocolate Festival is down next to the Santa Croce church past the Ponte Vecchio, and Santa Croce is supposed to be where all the night life is in Florence.

Lisa: Save some chocolate for me so I can see the difference between italian chocolate and american chocolate :)

Gary: Did someone say chocolate?

Katie: I want chocolate! What kind of music did the club play? What's for dinner/breakfast? How was your first week of classes? What will you be doing this weekend?

Lisa: Katie, I thought I asked the questions? Now you're taking over, LOL!

Katie: ;) well I had to get it from somebody!

Lisa: I bought our air tickets after much trouble and will send e-mails with details but the gist of it is:
Dad and I arrive Venice March 4th. Stay 2 nights at Pensione Gerrauto then train to Florence Sunday afternoon. Expect to stay until Thursday at Hotel Montreal (not yet booked) (Opera one night I hope) and then train to Roma Thursday with Troy (?and Alec?). Let me know SOON whether to book a triple or quad room, Troy.
Dad flies home from Rome Sunday morning. Boys train home Sunday afternoon. Lisa probably returns with boys but is currently undecided. Lisa is leaning towards couple days at Cinque Terre. Then ?back to Florence a few days? Probably couple of days near Lake Como. ?Dolomites? Lisa flies home from Milan Sunday morning the 20th.

Lisa: I booked Hotel Montreal in Florence March 6-10. Have been searching for quad rooms in Rome (cheaper than 2 doubles) and am waiting to hear from one of my first choices before booking another place online.

Lisa: I received a reply from my first choice hotel (Hotel Oceania) in Rome and it is booked for a quad room. Troy, the quad cost about 20 euro more than the triple. If Alex can pay the difference, that would be great. Although, maybe we should pay him to stay with us. Now, Troy, we just have to find an opera!

Lisa: Katie, please house sit for us from Thursday morning thru Sunday evening, March 3 through March 10th when your father comes home. If you want to or are able to pick up or drop off at the airport you could help us save some $ for parking. You could even pick up the car later in the day when you are free.

Troy: I'm going to interrupt this conversation to tell you about my last couple of days because I haven't had time to talk to all of you!
On tuesday we went on a class field trip to La Specola museum (which I already told Katie all about so the rest of you just need to talk to her for details)! Then, later that night we went to the Accent sponsored apertivo! An apertivo is a place where you order an overpriced drink and then get free food for the rest of the night, and although there's not supposed to be any drinking in the Accent program... we all totally had a drink with our teachers (and you guys can't tell ANYONE or they'll get in trouble). But the food was awesome and it was really fun!
The next day (Wednesday) I didn't have Anthropology because our visit to La Specola counted as class time, so all I had was Italian at 2:00! Afterwards, we took the train to the soccer game (and due to a mix up with taking the light rail instead of the actual train, we barely got there in time)! The game was Fiorentina vs Inter Milan and although we played pretty well the first half Inter Milan is one of the best teams and kinda rocked Fiorentina.
Today, after History class the Soc Sci class took us to the Accademia where we saw the David, The Prisoners, and lots of awesome statues and religious paintings! They also had Il Museo degli Strumenti Musicali! The entire museum was pretty small and only took a couple hours for us to see everything.
Now we're at home and my roommates and I are all starting to cook a group dinner thingy! We don't have any solid plans for the weekend but we're planning on going to Pisa on Monday! (we don't have school monday because of presidents day).
So now that I just wrote a frikken novel, you all need to tell me what you all are up to! Love ya guys!

Katie: Sounds awesome bud! And that was totally not a novel, just a page from a novel! :)

Lisa: Are you not going to Sienna with the Accent group tomorrow? or to any place special this weekend? the leaning tower of Pisa? the beach? You must travel!!

Troy: The deadline for paying for the group trips passed a week and a half ago without us realizing it.
And did you even read my freakishly long message? It says right there that we're planning on going to Pisa on monday! And since writing this we also decided on also going to Fiesole and Lucca this weekend! They're all day trips and they all cost 5 euros or less to get there!