I visited I Sassi di Matera in the summer of 2001. What words can I possibly use to describe it? Breath-taking, remarkable, awe-inspiring. I felt as if I stepped back into time hundreds or even thousands of years. It's the type of place where you feel the presence of history under your feet. As I walked in and around the stone houses and beautiful churches it was not very difficult for me to imagine how this rich culture lived. The stone streets and simple white houses allowed me to take that spiritual trip back into time. I felt as if at any moment, a Roman soldier or peasant woman would come around the corner. It's that kind of place. I walked in with an appreciation of my Italian heritage....and I walked out with a strong, deep-rooted love for it.