Mostly Marfa

These photos are from Ojinaga, Mex. which I visited for a few hours with friends. I found it interesting I guess, but at straight up lunch time, there was only one other couple in the restaurant, a handful on the plaza, and numerous people asking for hand outs. So basically I was concerned for the welfare of the people there. The city appeared poor to me. We went to a massive grocery store which had people in it. Long wait to cross back over, cars from many states and lots of transport of tarp covered trailers. The border is possibly wounded by gov. shutdown.

I have been told the “de Allende” part is important.

I went, it was great, touristy. Lots of XPats living big lives there amidst the colonial architecture and friendly population who know how to cook and clean.

I took way too many photos as usual, only look if you want to see what the city looks like,

Thanks,

Mary Lou

Botanical Garden SM

Guanajuato

Guanajuato

Guanajuato

Guanajuato

Guanajuato

Guanajuato

Mummy museum Guanajuato

Mummy museum Guanajuato

Mummy museum Guanajuato

Had a nice experience although very hot experience at Big Bend National Park.

First was the river road from Presidio, TX along the Rio Grande to Terlingua

Then arriving at my wonderful cabin, which looks out over the “Window”.

Did the “Balanced Rock” hike, which was perfect in this heat, flat, not too long, 2.3 mi. roundtrip. The surroundings made me think of a Western movie.

Some photos on the way to Santa Elena Canyon. It is hot hot summer and hazy. River low. My timing in photo not good, but in case you would like to see the brilliance of the 2 rock masses, one in Mexico, and one in the US, giving way to a river, I include a shot. To me the river symbolizes a needed break in the current negativity towards Mexico, as hope flows along like a river.

some photos taken on Window trail

lastly a quick couple of shots of an old home settled at the bottom of a canyon in the park.

Always happy when a well adorned train is stalled in Marfa.

Had a chance to visit LA. Marfa is having an effect on me, all I wanted to do is see art and eat, and boy did I do that. Great, great city, suffering from high rents and homelessness. I am not sure what is going on there, but it is scary and it seems to revolve around high rents, which is becoming a problem in Marfa too. Maybe it is everywhere.

LACMA

LACMA

LACMA

Food Trucks

Shabby Chinese theater

Liz

Hollywood

Getty floor

Getty Villa

Getty Villa

Getty Villa herb garden

Margi and Chris-Malibu

Homeless

Jean and Richard-Pasadena

The Bradbury

The Bradbury

Grand Central Market

Train up

Grand Central Market

Old Technology

Pay Phone

Lunch

Hair Salon

Tshirt Shop

Symphony Hall

The Broad

The Broad

The Broad

The Broad

I almost fell for it but read the fine print

Fab

Downtown Building

The Biltmore

The Biltmore

Anthony Quinn

LAPD

Homeless

Had a little vacay, and wanted to share.

At this time in my life, Santa Fe felt hectic, and as it was a busy weekend, full to the brim with tourists. Narrow streets and many cars. I am thankfully  becoming a small town girl.

Abiquiu, New Mexico on the other hand was unpopulated, gorgeous, and felt really good .

I will share some photos.

Thanks,

ML

on the drive there, took the wrong road and this face sums up my feelings

Indian Fair week in Santa Fe, very crowded, but funner than it looks

Chimayo, NM

Chimayo, NM

remembrances, Chimayo, NM

Chimayo, NM

Abiquiu, NM

Abiquiu, NM

Abiquiu, NM

Abiquiu, NM

Abiquiu, NM

Abiquiu, NM

Abiquiu, NM

eclipse, Abiquiu, NM

eclipse, Abiquiu, NM, joined by Tom Jacobs part time resident

Abiquiu, NM

Plaza Blanca hike, Abiquiu, NM

black and white getting along, Abiquiu, NM

Plaza Blanca hike, Abiquiu, NM

black and white getting along, Abiquiu, NM

Plaza Blanca hike, Abiquiu, NM

Abiquiu, NM, this turkey joined me both nights for a staring contest whilst in the hot tub

Abiquiu, NM

on the way home, Valentine, TX

I have stared at Cuidad Juarez for years from the safety (??) of I10 in El Paso. The news told of murders, cartels, danger. What I saw from the highway were eroded adobe houses in many colors, and dust. I always wanted to walk those streets and see what was up over there, perhaps because it was a no no. When some Marfa friends decided to check it out, I did not hesitate. I was in.

We parked in El Paso and walked across thus avoiding lines of cars and we literally walked right in, no problem. Me wheeling my suitcase click click click, displaying my red money bag around my neck, while my more saavy friends carried backpacks, I told them “do not tease me about this”. . and they complied. If anyone were going to be taken out, it would have been me, the very obvious and slightly nervous tourist. But I live to tell. The people we met in CJ seemed pretty Americanized to me, lots of English spoken and dollars taken alongside pesos. They are a bridge away from El Paso and in better times, probably went back and forth a lot. Parts of CJ were totally modern, with American fat and sugar filled chains and Walmart crap merchandise widely available. You’re welcome Mexico. Better hurry and get health care.

We Ubered through a fairly battered less charming area of town, to a market centered around a big church with many shops and restaurants.  We walked and walked finding great restaurants, sunglasses, trinkets, snacks, you name it.

I can’t speak intelligently to the “problems” they have had in CJuarez or to the dangers that are publicized. From my viewpoint the people could not have been nicer. This is not a hugely important breakthrough, only one little experience that goes along with what I believe, which is that Mexico is our neighbor and friend. And the people are nice as hell.

One young Uber driver said he wanted to get his citizenship in order to study at UTEP. A shoe shine man had spent 7 lousy years in jail for his second crossing into the US. There was smattering of begging. Nobody enjoys begging, they just have to do it to survive sometimes.

My fears fell away to be replaced by positive experiences with each encounter that we had. People did not look at us, or act like we were out of place.

I plan to return very soon to an amazing restaurant, Maria Chuchena. It was out of this world.

No I am not having another one of my moments.

“Hello Nothing” refers to the wonderful feeling that I get when I return to Marfa from “other places”.

This latest (mid-July 2016) I had a whim to check out a swimming hole in Bracketville, Texas and then on to Houston to see the Menil Collection. As it happened there was an exhibit by Cartier Bresson at the Menil, one of my all time favorite photographers. (That show has ended). The Bresson show was one of those happy accidents, or god nudging me back on track.  Anyway, the swimming hole was first.  It is located at Ft. Clark an old fort in Bracketville which is 30 minutes outside Del Rio. This place was fantastic. Rooms are cheap at the fort and the swimming is terrific. Spring fed pool, cold water, not too many people especially in the first half of the day.

OK well not a lot to say about Houston in the summer. The Menil was great but Houston is a hot mess. My feeling was, come to Houston, home of 2 million people and 1 million parking places. Have fun. I spent a lot of time in limbo or near death in my car. I also made a fundamental mistake trying to use Iphone maps to get around. That map ladies voice gets real quiet when you are going the wrong way and you are like Oh shit. The Menil was peaceful but the rest of Houston was really hard to take. The galleria made me remember my life in Dallas.  I had to circle and circle in the outdated and un modern parking lot waiting for someone to leave it was so crowded. Like you condensed all the stores and restaurants from the Interstate into one big tragic shopping spree.

I would like to take a moment to express a new love of smaller highways. For about half the trip I was on a small highway and was enjoying the scenery, could pull over any time, endured very little traffic but yikes, when I got on the Interstate it was a whole new ball game. Way more traffic, and way more in the way of the very latest in crappy fast food and all of humanity was hungry and needed to pee.  Going through small towns it’s quieter because most everything is closed. The small towns haven’t recovered from the damage done by Dollar Store and McDonalds which closes everyone down. A small town store can be closed because it has not been open in decades, it can be closed because they left for a minute, it can be closed because they have a custom schedule, or it can be closed. On the interstate everything is open.

Anyway, on the drive back to Marfa, once I hit that small highway the weight off my shoulders was huge. The sickness and fear that pervaded the pit of my stomach in Houston gradually gave way to happiness.

HELLO NOTHING

wavy agave at some garden park in Houston

It is Spring in Marfa which means that anything loose in your backyard is going to get launched into orbit. Your hair becomes an alien dried out, blown out eye tickler. Dusty windy and high risk of static cat shock.

People flock to Marfa to get married. It is as if the desert quiet and beauty will give a couple a better start to their city lives.  This weekend we had many art openings, a big wedding, music, and I saw Kevin Bacon and his wife.

They are here shooting a TV pilot. How can it not work with Kevin Bacon. Schools out, flowers are blooming, no reason to be grumpy. Not that I need a reason.