Can you spot the Christmas tree amongst all the green?
I'm at Café Verde - my new favorite place right next to my apartment here in Chiang Mai. It's so new, it's not even on the map yet. It's right next to Larder Café, though, which is pretty known. (Just in case you're in the area and want to stop by ;))
What a serene little oasis in the middle of the busy Nimman area!
It's great to work and think and write, and also great to get addicted to their Caramel Macchiato Coffee Shake.
Today I'm making an attempt to plan out videos for my Youtube channel. Let's see how that goes. It's one thing to plan, but another to actually do it...
My video recording conditions are not exactly favourable here in Chiang Mai.
I have no proper daylight in my apartment (at least not enough for video), plus there are construction works next door, and when there's no sound of a hammer or drilling machine for a few minutes, then for sure there's an airplane passing by. (The airport is only 5min away, so actually it feels like these airplanes are passing through...)
But it's hard to get work done anyway. There's just so much going on here!
I really have to find my rhythm and not get distracted by all this "social life". At least I have one now - after being sick on and off for the first three weeks here, I'm finally better now and have had a great time for the past two weeks.
I constantly have to remind myself I'm not on holiday ;)
It's easy to forget. There's so much to do (Youtube workshop, movie screenings, kirtan singing, crypto meet-ups, ecstatic dance sessions on rooftops in the sunset, free massages, Blues bars, Jazz bars) - and of course at every single event you meet new friends that you then meet up for dinner or coffee with - so your social calendar fills quickly.
I am NOT complaining. It's exactly what I came here for. My slow start of the first three weeks actually worried me a little and made me wonder if I had made a mistake. But of course when you take intuitive, inspired decisions that make little logical sense but simply feel right - they are never a mistake.
I did have a little voice in my head, just before I left Berlin, "But what about Christmas? What if I'm gonna be all alone?" But then there was also this other mocking voice, that laughed and said, "Come on, Anja. Don't be ridiculous..."
And I really didn't have to be worried.
Yesterday I got the biggest Christmas gift ever! A friend, who was leaving for a silent retreat today, wanted to really treat herself to a nice Christmas dinner before she leaves, but she didn't want to go alone. So she invited me for company - what a gift (and compliment)!
We went to Le Crystal Restaurant - OMG! The last time I dined like that was when I worked for Karl Lagerfeld and our whole team went for a fancy dinner in Paris (Karl himself not present, of course...). I had no idea such a place existed here. For the price of that dinner I could have staid at a local hostel here for a week. I'm not kidding.
I have two more Christmas dinners coming up - and you know the best part: flip-flops. Christmas is sooo much better in flip-flops!! 😄
Yesterday I was sitting here in this nice little corner of Café Verde, and who walks in? 
I had just spent more than two hours chatting with a friend - way longer than planned - and now of course we spent another two hours with
She, by the way, is the reason I'm here in Chiang Mai. We met here in February, then she came to Berlin in the summer and totally influenced me. Now, I've been here for over a month, and despite several attempts, we still didn't manage to meet up. So that was a nice surprise yesterday.
Merry Christmas wherever you are
Wow, I finished a whole post without any distractions! 😄 Just you and me here. Quality time with the Steemies!
If you're celebrating Christmas - in flip-flops or snow boots; white or green - have a wonderful time!
May all your wishes come true - not only on Christmas but always and forever of course!
😘🎄
!steemitworldmap 18.7984692 lat -98.9655814,18 long Café Verde in Chiang Mai D3SCR