Verhaal van een Voettocht via Rome naar Jerusalem

 Where do you go after you have been to Santiago de Compostela?  When walking an old pilgrims way has become the experience of a lifetime?  People increasingly think and talk about walking to Rome.  And why not?  Rome is only 2000 km away.  And how do you find the way to Rome?  An old saying is that all roads lead to Rome, so it should be possible in some way.

So Klaas and Helen van der Poel embarked on their walk to Rome in 2002.  In those days, there were few examples they could follow and hardly any guidebooks.  But it was springtime and adventure called.  In three stages they finally arrived at St Peter's square in the following summer, delighted after a challenging but inspiring journey.  And when you arrive in Rome, you are facing in the direction of Jerusalem.  Is it not logical that you will then just continue on your way?  That is exactly what our medieval ancestors did.  And so the great pilgrimage of Klaas and Helen continued stage after stage.

This book tells their story: A journey in 5 stages, spread out over five years, via France, Switserland, Italy, Greece, then over the sea to Israel and through Israel to Jerusalem.  The road of Richard the Lionhearted.  It was a challenging and fascinating journey and it has become a fascinating book.  The book describes the journey not from day to day, but from summit to summit.  The summits are sometimes very real, such as the Great St Bernard, 2473 m high,  but sometimes they are cultural, such as the smiling angel in Reims or  Castel del Monte in Apulia.  Often the summits are of a spiritual nature, Palm Sunday in a Benedictine monastery, a blessing by a hermit, climbing Mount Tabor or Easter in the church of the Holy Sepulcher.

 It has become a many-facetted book.  The description of a walk with useful information about maps, addresses to stay and advice in how to approach an Italian village priest.  But it is also the story of a pilgrimage with tales about special, touching encounters with people along the road and their messages.  Comments in the margin provide interesting historical background and reflections.

 So where do you go after Santiago de Compostella?  When you have read this book it is clear:  You put on your walking boots and go to Rome and from there you will continue.  However, there is one catch.  This book is written in Dutch.  Non-Dutch speakers will be able to appreciate the illustrations, but they must find their own way to Jerusalem – and maybe write a book about it in English.