MARFA

We took our first trip to Marfa around Thanksgiving 2017. Sebastian only was a year old, and he stayed with his Papa and Nana in El Paso while Nicholas and I explored the tiny West Texas town. We instantly fell in love with Marfa and dreamed of the day we’d return with our whole family. Those days finally arrived December 2021…a pre-Holiday trip we began planning in early fall. We knew where we wanted to stay: El Cosmico, a bo-ho “glamping” spot featuring yurts, teepees and airstreams as lodging. Of course, we chose the grand teepee with its gas fire inside and cozy queen bed. And we surely needed all the warmth we could generate since the December evenings reached lows of 27 degrees. It seems as if Marfa has specialty stores for each of our passions: an art supply store for Gigi, a rock and gem store for Bashy, a couple of bookstores for Nicholas, and everything else for me. But what I look forward to most when traveling to West Texas are opportunities to take lots of pictures and bask in sunny, albeit brisk, great big clear skies. We also fulfilled one longstanding dream of mine to visit Big Bend. It was absolutely beautiful to be in that desert wilderness. We only spent a few hours there, but it was enough to make us dream about returning and camping for real. That seems to be a theme with this area: visit, explore, and think about all the new things you’d like to do upon return. It’s such a vast landscape with towns spread out miles and miles from each other.

We traveled to Alpine, Marathon, Valentine, Fort Stockton and Van Horn. We saw deer and javelinas, collected rocks and made art in the sand. And we figured this would be our Christmas tradition. Rather than buying a bunch of gifts to open at home, we’ll all pile into the car and set off, picking up treats and souvenirs and toys and gifts for ourselves along the way. We knew a long, open road trip with two small kids was a dice roll, even more with ensuring we all stay safe from COVID-19. And we were pleasantly surprised to see how much fun the children had and how much they wanted to return and how dusty they got and how excited they got when we drove somewhere new. Not once did they ask about presents or gifts while in Marfa. We all know the holidays are stressful. Time spent with extended family members is stressful. Even travel itself is stressful. But for the few days we spent in West Texas, we felt nothing but peace…as well as the biting cold that crept in the teepee at night. But the children were snug and warm since Nicholas and I stood in as their electric blankets. Are we returning? Of course we are, and who knows what new adventures await? Or perhaps next year we’ll travel somewhere new and grab exciting treasures along the way. Farewell, 2021! You caused a bunch of grief, stress and despair, but the Marfa epilogue was quite the ride!