It's over, it's finished, done. The last kilometres I am walking in a dream, realizing how beautiful it was and how difficult. The superb nature in Germany, Austria and also during the initial and the final part in Italy. The meetings with special, 'remarkable' people. The intensity of the conversations, you feel the vibration, however short they were.The hardship, first by the continuous raining in May and June, then by the intense heat, no shade, the asphalt, the feet which are failing service.

Often you asked yourself: why am I doing this, this is not fun.But at night, or during daytime after such a special meeting or event, you understood again why you made this trip.I am getting a little bit emotional realising I will soon see my family again. Then, suddenly, they are all there: Ineke, Stijn, and my other daughter Sanne with her boyfriend Chris.There is also my good friend Giovanni Cerri, professor at the University Roma Tre and his wife Anna and their daughter Giovanna. Hugs, some tears.It is definitely done. Chris opens a bottle of Spumante, let it spray as in car racing, and then we drink it directly from the bottle. We walk all together to the basilica San Giovanni in Laterano, the official end of the Franciscan route. Later we walk to the St. Peter. Anna, the wife of Giovanni, has arranged a special meeting with the head of the priests of San Giovanni, the oldest church in Rome, from the year 400 and something. We meet him in the baptistery, also from about 430. We are being offered some water and he is going to search his stamp for the penultimate entry in my pilgrim's pass. We talk a little bit about the journey, and then we visit the basilica.It is beautiful. Until 1870, all popes were crowned here. Beautiful frescoes and a beautiful canopy, where only the pope is allowed to sit: this occurs once a year, on White Thursday, when he is celebrating Mass here. One of the doors of this church only opens once every 25 years; the huge bronze central doors are about 12 meters high.

Then we all go to the area around the Coliseum. Giovanni lives here, he knows an excellent restaurant (owned by a friend) where we have lunch with abundant wine. Then we say goodbye to Giovanni, his wife and daughter and we walk to the Vatican, to the St. Peter.In the sacristy I get my last stamp. We walk through the St. Peter and are again overwhelmed by the Pieta of Michelangelo, which he made when he was 24. And of course by the magnificent bronze canopy with the spiralling columns of Bernini and by Michelangelo's dome.Every time when I am here I am impressed by the magnificence, the enormous power of these masters, who were not only able to paint, but also to design and build, to make sculptures. You see their works everywhere in the city: the Bernini fountains, the churches he designed, and his sculptures, like the sensual Ecstasy of Theresa in the Santa Maria della Vittoria. And Michelangelo of course with the Sistine Chapel, with the dome of St. Peter, but also the beautiful Piazza del Campidoglio, which is often forgotten but which is one of the most beautiful places in Rome.

We have an apartment near the Piazza Navona, ideally located in the beautiful old part of Rome. The next day we walk to the Pantheon, the oldest building in Rome, and certainly the most special, with the oculus, the top hole, through which light enters, and the marble pillars coming from all parts of the Roman Empire. The ancient Roman floor, although restored, but incredibly beautiful. The artist Raphael (well known of the Stanze of Raphael in the Vatican Museum), has his permanent tomb here.Later we walk along the Trevi fountain. Unbelievable, the sensation radiating from this enormous sculpture. The water, the beautiful balanced background, all individual sculptures with their strength. In the church next to the Trevi Fountain we burn candles for Joan, a dear friend and part of the G9, our walking group, who recently learned that she had a malignant cancer and now enters a very difficult and unsure process.We do not know if it helps, but we feel very close to her.

.Rome is beautiful, a beautiful final goal of this long journey, although the real goal might be somewhat else. Like the Germans say: der Weg ist das Ziel.

It's over.It is finished.The support of everyone who reacted on the website (or via SMS messages or via my personal email) was heart warming and important to me. That gives you power when it is difficult.Thanks, you were fantastic!