Man, what a day! I’m tellin’ ya, Kishiwada really threw me for a loop today. I mean, I’m a mountain guide, right? I’m used to the wild, not the wild streets of a city. But here I was, smack dab in the middle of it all.
So, I woke up early, like, way too early. The sun was barely up, and I was already chugging coffee like it was my lifeline. I had this plan to hit up Kishiwada Castle first. You know, the one that’s been around since the 16th century? Yeah, that one. I thought, “Hey, let’s get some history in before the chaos.”
I hopped on the train, and let me tell ya, the ride was packed. I was squished between a dude who smelled like he bathed in soy sauce and a lady who was way too into her karaoke playlist. I mean, c’mon, it’s 7 AM!
Finally, I got off at Kishiwada Station. The streets were buzzing. I took a stroll down the main drag, Kishi Street. It’s lined with shops and food stalls. I could smell takoyaki wafting through the air. My stomach was like, “Feed me!” So, I grabbed a couple of those delicious little octopus balls. OMG, they were heavenly!
But then, outta nowhere, it started pouring. Like, seriously? I’m in Kishiwada, and it’s raining cats and dogs. I ducked into a little café on Kishi Street to wait it out. The place was cozy, and the barista was super chill. We started chatting, and I found out he was a local climber too! What are the odds?
After the rain let up, I decided to check out the castle. I mean, it’s a must-see, right? I walked up the hill, and the view was insane! You could see the whole city sprawled out below. But then, I tripped on a rock. Classic me. I went tumbling down, and I swear I could hear the castle laughing at me.
When I finally made it to the top, I was outta breath but pumped. The castle was beautiful, all white and majestic. I snapped a ton of pics. I even did a goofy pose with a samurai statue. Gotta love the tourist life!
But then, I got a text from my buddy. He was in town too, and he wanted to meet up. I was like, “Sure, let’s grab some drinks!” So, we hit up this bar on Kishi Street. It was packed with locals, and the vibe was lit. We ordered some sake, and I was feelin’ good.
But then, outta nowhere, this guy spilled his drink all over me. I was like, “Dude, what the heck?” I was ready to throw down, but then he started laughing and offered to buy me another drink. I couldn’t stay mad. We ended up chatting, and he was super cool. Turns out, he was a local artist.
The night went on, and we ended up at this karaoke joint. I’m not a singer, but after a few drinks, I was belting out some J-Pop like I was a star. The crowd was loving it! I even got a standing ovation. I mean, who knew I had it in me?
As the night wrapped up, I was walking back to my hotel, feeling all kinds of emotions. Kishiwada had thrown me a wild ride. I was angry, happy, surprised, and everything in between. I mean, who knew a mountain guide could have such a crazy day in the city?
So, yeah, Kishiwada, you’ve got my heart. I’ll be back for sure. Just maybe next time, I’ll stick to the mountains. Or not. Who knows? Life’s an adventure, right?