Day three in Rome. Day three of gelato. Am I sorry? Do I regret eating all this gelato? Am I going to stop after today so my pants won't get any tighter? No. No. And no. I have the rest of my life to lose weight. Today is Monday and the museums are closed, so I slept in a bit, noticed my pants getting tighter when I got dressed, and then made Santa Maria in Cosmedin my first stop after vowing to walk a lot today. Outside the church is Bocca Della Verita or Mouth of Truth. There is a story behind the mask of the Mouth of Truth. If you put your hand in the mouth and answer a question with a lie, it will bite your hand off. Since I was alone, I just ... read more

After a mostly sleepless flight, I arrived in Rome around 8:00AM to grey skies and clouds and rain. Did it matter? Nooo.... I was in Rome! I dreamed of coming to Italy for years and I was finally here! I was staying in Orsa Maggiore Women's Only Hostel in the Trastevere area of Rome. I had directions of how to get their via train, bus, and my own legs, but both of my backpacks were heavy and it was raining, so I got a shuttle for 30 euros from an orange desk in the airport. It was legitimate, and honestly, only about 15 euros more than I would have paid if I had taken the train and bus. So Max took me and two other people to our hotels in his nice car, and I headed ... read more

I took the ferry to Symi this morning and arrived before lunch. I had made a reservation at Dorian Hotel on some obscure website and I had a feeling the hotel had no idea I was coming. I was right, but it didn't matter. Dorian Hotel is to the right of the harbour when you step off the boat, not far from the clock tower and just behind Hotel Aliki, which looked very nice but too expensive for me. But for 30 euros a night at Dorian Hotel, I got a lovely bathroom, small fully equipped kitchen and seating area, small balcony, and the bedroom was upstairs and was very spacious with lovely hardwood floors. I was in heaven! I had some tea and then decided to get some lunch and wander around the island. I ... read more

I wasn't meeting Pussang until 10:00, so I told him to pick me up at Summit Cafe. Of course, he was early and I wasn't finished with my cinnamon roll and coffee. We chatted for a while, then went to visit two monasteries here in Lhasa. They were small, but busy. One has about 25 monks in residence, the other I don't remember. They were both free to enter, but of course, I could not enter without a guide lest I try to stir up trouble among the monks by spouting off about my liberal views on freedom and basic human rights. So Pussang explained what the icons stood for and patiently answered my questions. I looked around at all of the money stuffed into every nook and cranny and watched people pour copious amounts of ... read more