From Sagrada Familia to Rioja

Road to Rioja
March 8, 2015

We woke up fairly early this morning and decided to take a quick walk back over to the Arch de Triumph.  It is a short jaunt round the corner from the hotel and we figured we could time ourselves for what we needed to do before getting the train back Villafranca de Pendes where we parked our car so that we didn't have to be bothered with city traffic and the extra costs of nightly parking.   We also bought our tickets for the train and made sure that we knew where to get to the right track.  The inter-city train would leave from the same area as the Metro Stops - and it was the R4 train.  With our plans in place we went back to shower and pack and take our time over to the train.

We got back to the station and it was just a couple of minutes over two hours since we checked out the track and where to go.  Good thing we spoke to the person at the booth there because if you buy a ticket from the machines, it is supposed to be used within two hours of purchase.  We were there about 2 hours and 2 minutes later.  Anyway - she stamped the tickets and opened the gates for us because she remembered that we were there earlier to ask about the tracks and times.

Tip: -- Train tickets purchased from automatic machines in the subway need to be used within two hours of the purchase.  Also, always keep your ticket with you because inspectors ride the train and will ask you to produce your ticket.  If you can't, then you'll incur fines of about $50 - $100.   

The train back was great and from Penedes, it was about 3.5 hours to the Alta Rioja. The highways in Spain are recently improved and I would consider superb.  There are very few potholes or construction areas.  However, for this quality there is a steep price of about 45 Euros in tolls from Barcelona to the Rioja.  Also, the gas is more than double the price depending on exchange rates ($5.35a US gallon for us).  So long drives are expensive.  If you can rent a Diesel, do it.  There is almost no difference in operations, and the extra mileage is about 30% more than regular gas.  

Windmills in Rioja

The countryside on the way to Rioja from Barcelona is beautiful.  Some of the fields had just been turned over and the soil looked deep and red in one area, and across the road or just beside it would be a deep black rich soil.  Then some areas were really dry and white clay like as you reached the hills and the higher regions.  These types of soil changes really can affect what grapes and varietals are grown here.  Some vintners really like to deal  with only certain types to elicit those flavors they want from the varietal.  Others want to use each area to mix their own together.  

Views from the highway

Also, you'll see a variety of renewable energy fields - some solar and others that are huge windmills that are making Spain one of the most pro-renewable resources countries in the world.  43% of Spain's energy in 2014 was from renewable energy, just 2% short of their goal for 45%.  They line the top of the mountain peaks and some fields are full of solar panels.  It really is very promising for them since they are not wanting to permit fracking in their country due to the health concerns.  So they more they can produce on their own the stronger their economy can become.  


We arrived in Abalos just before sunset and enjoyed the sun going down.  We parked at the hotel and walked around and found the neighborhood bar down by the church in the activity center.  The town of Abalos probably has less than 500 people.  It is in the Rioja Alta, or upper Rioja region and is right in the area of the Basque Culture.  We love the region and the people there have always been very receptive to us and proud to show us their wine, food, and farms.   It is a wonderful location to base yourself for a visit to the region.   There has to be over a hundred bodegas that you could see within a 10 mile area.  Some small, some world renown.  

Don't you want to be here?  Rioja Region 2015

We met Jose Luis and he helped us get the room settled and booked us for dinner on Monday night.  He also opened up one of his bottles of Empatia.  He was pouring a 2008 from his small collection that he uses to supply the wine bar and his guests at the hotel.  Jose Luis named it Empathia to convey his idea that empathy is the idea of knowing vicariously what others are experiencing or need.  So he believes that as hosts, they should be able to anticipate the needs of their guests and what and how they would want to spend their time.   We retired to the room knowing that the morning breakfast would be filling and would fill us for the major part of the day tomorrow.