Niels Tromp

The People That Walk to Rome : on the Via Francigena Niels Tromp

Walking from the Netherlands to the Vatican. It wasn't that hard actually. Every day a little bit. In the beginning I was sleeping outside in my tent somewhere in a forest or field. Later I got promoted to centuries-old Italian monasteries. Fantastic! Quite a few colourful personalities crossed my path. People I consider as friends for a lifetime, even though I will probably never see them again. People you would normally never have a chat with. Well, you meet them unexpectedly on your journey. Everybody has his own reason to walk to Rome. A Norwegian teacher on his trip to Bethlehem, a Luxemburgian former monk on his way to the tomb of pope John Paul Ii, a young Italian chap who fortunately speaks English and a French alcoholic who can't resist trying to get us killed on the motorway. Everybody is on a legendary adventure to Rome!