Rioja = wine & food

 

The history of this region is the history of wine making.  We plan to explore this and the accompanying foods. 

We journeyed to monasteries designated by UNESCO due to their contributions to Spanish language and culture.  Suso and then Yuso were in remote locations where the monks wrote down the words and then the music, including Gregorian chants.  

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/805/ 

Thankfully we packed a lunch, since the small town where the monasteries reside close up as soon as the tours end.  A unique town that remains locked up long after siesta!  

The sites are impressive for their place in preserving language, religious culture and music in a place away from some of the chaos that happened in the surrounding countryside.