At first, I did not like having to walk everywhere because at home in Texas I am used to going in a car to get to most places, but I now realize that it is relaxing and healthy to walk to places. From my apartment to where I go to school, it takes me roughly forty minutes to walk there and back. When I need to go the supermarket or go out to dinner with a group of friends, I usually walk because it is cheaper and quicker than if I were to take the bus or a taxi. I have taken the city bus a couple of times when I needed to go somewhere that was over an hour away, like when I went hiking in the mountains on the outer edge of the city. I only take a taxi when I do not know how to get somewhere and my destination is far from my apartment; or when it is late at night and I do not want to walk home. On the occasions when I took a taxi and the bus, I felt comfortable but I definitely prefer to walk to places when they are close to my apartment.
The habit of walking to and from places is at the heart of the culture and environment of Granada. The culture here is very social, and people are constantly interacting with each other. Going for a walk or a paseo around town provides a great time to catch up with friends and to have conversations while also getting to a place. If transportation were to be dominated by cars in Granada, people would barely interact with each other because they would be lost in the world of their cars.
