Miguel in the Chestnut Forest

My friend Fernando always try's to incorporate a learning lesson in all things new he shows me. As we walked through Las Medulas he told me about how the Romans mined the mountains for gold using slaves to dig tunnels and then pumping water through the mines, thus collapsing the mountains and usually killing the expendable slaves trapped inside. He pointed out massive and majestic chestnut trees that were introduced by the Romans in order to feed the thousands of slaves. I ALWAYS get somber when I am told a story like this,  as I am under no illusion what so ever that I would have been one of these slave laborers had I been born 2000 years ago. Today's lesson .... Count my many blessings as I am so fortunate!