Arriving in Belgium on the Eurostar, it is always tempting to continue on to a popular weekend destination like Bruges, Ghent or Antwerp. But this time I hop on a local train at the Brussels Gare du Midi for the 30-minute journey to Mechelen, a surprisingly grand and opulent city that in the 16th century … Read more
I saw the light at 22. Since my teens, I had been dyeing my naturally mousy hair very dark brown. Shades such as “mahogany” and “praline” were unforgiving against my pale skin, but that wasn’t important to me. As a teenager, I was desperate to be taken seriously and thought of as smart, maybe even … Read more
Name: Tiny seats. Age: If you look at pictures of the Wright brothers’ first flights in 1903, it looks as if they had plenty of legroom. It’s been downhill ever since. We’re talking about legroom on planes, right? Right. Or the lack of it, to be precise, as airlines push to increase profits. But Orville … Read more
Straighteners are here to stay – but thankfully, heat styling has come a long way since GHD’s first ceramic straighteners ushered in an era of poker-straight hair in 2001. Today’s models feature adjustable heat settings and protective technology for hairstyling with minimal damage. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you … Read more
I am a thirtysomething woman and have been with my partner for six years – we’ve been married for about half that time. In many ways, we have a wonderful marriage: she is my best friend as well as my wife. The issue is our sex life. She has a very low sex drive, whereas … Read more
The best iPhone may be the one you already own. There is generally no need to buy a fresh phone just because new models have been released, as hardware updates are broadly iterative, adding small bits to an already accomplished package. But if you do want a replacement handset, whether new or refurbished, here are … Read more
new video loaded: NASA Astronauts Finally Return to Earth, Almost 9 Months Delayed transcript Back transcript NASA Astronauts Finally Return to Earth, Almost 9 Months Delayed A SpaceX capsule carrying two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, splashed down off Florida’s Gulf Coast on Tuesday, concluding their unexpectedly long stay in space. “And there … Read more
What can I do with leftover egg whites? And don’t say meringues!Billowy meringues may be the most high-profile pal of surplus egg whites, but their circle is far wider and more encompassing than those delicate shells. “My immediate thought is chocolate mousse,” says Oliver Costello, co-owner of Toad Bakery in south London. “White chocolate is … Read more
Check what you’ve used The maximum you can put away each tax year in any adult Isa is £20,000. That limit does not include any interest or other returns earned on your money. It covers all types of Isa you may hold: any cash, stocks and shares, innovative (containing peer-to-peer investments), lifetime or help-to-buy Isas. Lifetime … Read more
Driving north-east out of Madrid on the A2 motorway, the industrial sprawl seemed as never-ending as the roaring river of traffic. The change, when it came, was sudden and complete. After Peñarrubia the heavy traffic vanished, and with it the industrial estates and dull dormitory towns. We were now in Guadalajara, a province of Castilla-La … Read more