Man, what a day! Seriously, I’m still reeling from it. So, I’m an actuary, right? Numbers, stats, all that jazz. But today? Today was a wild ride in Takatsuki, Japan. Like, who knew this place could throw so many curveballs?
First off, I woke up late. Classic me. I was supposed to meet my buddy at Takatsuki Station. You know, the one that’s all busy and stuff? Yeah, that one. I sprinted down Kameyama Street, dodging people like I was in some crazy video game. I swear, I almost knocked over an old lady. Sorry, lady!
Finally made it to the station, panting like a dog. My buddy was already there, chillin’ with a coffee. I was like, “Dude, you couldn’t wait?” He just laughed. Ugh, so annoying. But whatever, we hopped on the train to go check out the Takatsuki Castle ruins. I mean, who doesn’t love a good castle, right?
So, we get there, and it’s beautiful. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom. I’m talking pink everywhere! I felt like I was in a postcard. But then, bam! My phone buzzes. It’s work. Of course, right? My boss wants some last-minute data. I’m like, “Dude, I’m in a castle!” But no, numbers wait for no one.
After that, I was kinda grumpy. We walked down the streets, and I was just mumbling about spreadsheets and actuarial tables. My buddy tried to cheer me up with some street food. We hit up this little stall on Koshinmachi Street. They had these amazing takoyaki balls. I mean, I could’ve eaten a hundred of those! But then, I bit into one, and it was super hot. Like, lava hot! I almost lost my taste buds.
Then, outta nowhere, it started to rain. Like, seriously? I thought Japan was supposed to be all zen and stuff. We ducked into a little café on Kameyama Street. It was cozy, and the coffee was bomb. I felt a bit better, you know? Just chillin’ and watching the rain.
But then, the power went out! I’m not even kidding. One minute, I’m sipping my coffee, the next, it’s pitch black. Everyone freaked out. I was like, “Great, now I’m stuck in a dark café with my grumpy thoughts.” But then, this cute girl next to me started cracking jokes. She was hilarious! I was laughing so hard, I forgot about work.
After the rain stopped, we decided to explore more. We wandered around the Takatsuki City Museum. It was super interesting! They had all this stuff about the history of the area. I learned that Takatsuki used to be a castle town. Who knew? I felt like a history buff for a second.
But then, we got lost. Like, really lost. We ended up on some random street, and I was like, “Where the heck are we?” My buddy was trying to use Google Maps, but it was all in Japanese. I was like, “Dude, we’re doomed!” But then, we stumbled upon this little park. It was so peaceful.
We sat there for a while, just talking about life. I realized how much I needed this day. I mean, yeah, it was chaotic, but it was also kinda perfect. I felt grateful, you know?
As the sun set, we made our way back to the station. I was exhausted but happy. Takatsuki, you crazy city! You’ve got my heart. I can’t wait to come back and do it all over again. Just maybe without the work calls next time.