With all that's going on in the world, I think it is extremely important that we remain positive and open minded. My New Year's resolution is to always try to look for the positive and remember that out of most bad situations some good can be found.
I discovered an example of this during my trip to Plovdiv in Bulgaria. The township had suffered a huge landslide that altered it quite significantly. The silver-lining to this cloud was that it revealed, quite by accident, a large Roman amphitheatre, that today is one the greatest attractions of the city.
Plovdiv is a pure delight to wander around: from the colorful streets of the main town lined with cafes, restaurants and shops, to the old town's cobbled lanes and houses with bow-windows and eaves above them.
It is a great example of remnants of ancient cultures coexisting with the modern. Plovdiv has a history tracing back to times even before Rome was established, and its amphitheatre is the largest Roman building in Bulgaria. It was built with a seating capacity of almost 7,000 in the 2nd century AD under the rule of the Roman Emperor Trajan (98-117 AD), as part of the Acropolis of Trimontium.
Later it was destroyed by Attila the Hun and the amphitheatre was forgotten until a landslide in the 1970's uncovered it again. About 15 feet of earth needed to be dug in order to begin restoring the theatre to its present state.
Nowadays, besides a tourist attraction, it is also a place for concerts, opera, shows, plays and other town gatherings. From here visitors are given an excellent vista of the striking city, which like Rome, is nestled amidst surrounding hills.
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