Approximately 575 miles to the west of Houston is Marfa, TX, and this past week my wife and some friends made the trek across the state to see what was on out there. Ten and a half hours of driving, one border patrol stop and one verbal warning for doing 37 in a 30 in Sanderson, TX and we made it to Marfa. We arrived in the early evening and checked into the Thunderbird Hotel (see this blog entry for a review on the hotel) and were in for three days of site seeing in West Texas.



Dining in Marfa is an intersting experience – there is one of everything. Whether it is haute cuisine or fast food, Marfa had a diverse mix, and the patrons of these establishments are as varied as the food.



Following dinner that evening we made our way out to the official viewing platform for the mysterious Marfa lights just outside of town, and whether it is ball lighting, swamp gas, or car lights from Hwy 67 nearby, they do move and change color. The oohs and ahhs from the other spectators made the event more memorable.



Honestly we (I) wanted to go out there to see Donald Judd’s Chinati Foundation, and the next day we did just that. The tour started around 10am and the pace is set by the visitors. Apparently some in the group were less than enthusiastic about the work as the tour guide told me, the group stragler, that the group moved very quickly compared to others. That made me feel better about lingering in some of the more interesting spaces.



After the tour we found dinner at the Pizza Foundation, a Fernando Brave recommendation, then made our way out to the Prada Marfa installation 40 miles west of town. I was expecting the full experience of neon lights and high-end shoes, as I was told by the hotel employees, only to find an empty showroom with no electricity. According to the artists website, beginning March 2009, this installation will be left to the elements to degrade at a natural state. The awnings already were beginning to show signs of damage from the wind’s onslaught. That was a little disappointing. It seems that vandals had taken their toll on the installation and both the artists and Prada were tired of replenishing left or right shoes and handbags, only to have glass smashed and the contents stolen. Now only small stones left on the aluminum storefront (and graffiti, some with Houston tags) adorn the small building.



The last day in town took us back to the Chinati Foundation for photos of the Judd’s free-standing concrete sculptures since the unexpected thuderstorm the previous day had prevented us from journeying out into the open field. From there we ventured on to Fort Davis and then to Balmorea State Park from some swimming.



Going to Marfa is a bit of a pilgrimmage, but well worth the time and energy it takes. The car ride itself is worth it. You are granted the gift to see for yourself that Texas does in fact have mountains.