Yangon Post
Kalinko Living: Christmas Playlist
Despite Burma being a 90% Buddhist country, Christmas has arrived in Yangon in force. Creepy saxophone-playing Father Christmases are wiggling their hips in every shop window, and xylophone-based Christmas tunes are pinky-ponkying through the halls of the shopping malls. This is all rather odd in 30 degree heat, and doesn't quite generate the frisson of festive excitement that you might get walking down Piccadilly Arcade on a cold, crisp December day. So we've been creating our own Christmas vibe in the office with our Kalinko Christmas Playlist. It's a classical one, for that classic Christmas feel.
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Globetrotting: Kampala
We're talking afro-jazz, edible rolexes and hairnets: here's our guide to East Africa's "green city in the sun", the gateway to Uganda's rolling hills. Our Woman in Africa, Verity, has come up with the top spots, bites, and places to stay.
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Globetrotting: New York
New York City is a place a lot of us love and know very well. From the Friends’ crew shenanigans at Central Perk Cafe to Carrie watching Mr Big drive away from her apartment for the thousandth time... But The Big Apple is the gift that keeps on giving, and there’s always more to discover! Here are some spots you may not have seen:
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Kalinko Living: Wild Swimming
If you’ve never been wild swimming, it’s time. On a hot summer’s day, there really is NOTHING better! The shock of the initial plunge, the adrenaline rush as you surface, the feeling of total freedom with the cold water between your toes. There are tons of places you can do this in the UK (and whole books about it!), but because we’re into travel, we’ve picked some European spots too for your first wild dip.
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Globetrotting: Top Surf Spots
It’s the season, and we’ve called upon a seasoned surfer, Nick, to give us his top global tips for catching the best waves. He’s SO into surfing, that two years into his life in Burma, he still hasn’t been to Bagan or Inle Lake. Weekends are spent in Bali. That's a bit like living in London, never visiting Oxford, and spending every weekend in St Tropez. That, my friends, is pure love for the surf. Here’s the scoop.
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Burma Calling: London's Lahpet
Burmese food is the most underrated cuisine in Asia. Just like the country, it’s incredibly varied and colourful, rammed with textures and flavours, and has a sweet, salty, sour spiciness that will knock your flip flops off.
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Kalinko Living: Summer Reads
I feel a digital detox coming on this Summer. More than ever, people seem to be planning to put down their phones and pick up a book. If you’re building your pile (of actual books, made of paper!), here are some I have enjoyed recently which you could add to your maybe list.
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Globetrotting: Umbria
Best pronounced “Oombria”, with a frown, pursed lips and that very Italian hand-gesture which is a mixture between blowing a kiss and inspecting a ripe segment of tangerine in your fingers. Ahhh the green heart of Italy. Famous for its medieval hill towns and local fare, and for being slightly less fancy than neighbouring Tuscany. As we head deeper into the summer, let’s crank up the heat a bit and head to the centre of Italy. Here’s how we’d do it.
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Globetrotting: Hong Kong
Hong Kong island is only 80 square kilometres. And only 25% of it is built up. So the whole of Hong Kong which isn’t jungle, mountain or beach would fit into 8 Hyde Parks. Buttt 1.3 million people live there. That’s 160,000 per Hyde Park. Mind Blown. Question: So what’s so great about this teeny island where all these people want to live?
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