My first impressions of San Antonio are mixed. On the one hand, the city is surprisingly small and has very little diversity in its cuisine and shopping. On the other hand, the River Walk incorporates nature in interesting ways into the city’s personality.

I’m stuck on the other side of the Interstate from Downtown, next to a tiny University of Texas-San Antonio campus. Downtown is walkable, but it’s not necessarily the most comfortable walk to make from a pedestrian’s point of view. Periodically the sidewalk disappears and crosswalks are at some intersections, but not all. There were stretches of blocks where I was the only pedestrian in sight, and honking cars are frequent. It was a great relief yesterday morning to escape to the River Walk, where if there were still few others out strolling, at least there was no one making lewd comments or gestures.

This afternoon I hope to take in the Alamo (which I saw the outside of last night), La Villita arts and crafts “village,” and maybe O. Henry’s house, which I saw on a map.

While I wouldn’t cry with disappointment if I ever had to come back to San Antonio, I wouldn’t opt to come on my own again. There just doesn’t seem to be enough here to merit it.