Travel

The cherry blossom trees in Washington, D.C., officially reached peak bloom on Saturday, with travelers and tourists from far and wide flocking to the nation’s capital for a close-up view.
Mike Litterst, spokesperson for the National Park Service and its National Mall and Memorial Parks, told Fox News Digital that 70% of the trees around the tidal basin are in blossom. (See the video at the top of this article.)
Just how long the trees stay in bloom, said Litterst, is very much dependent on the weather.
TODDLER SLIPS THROUGH WHITE HOUSE FENCE, IS CARRIED OUT BY SECRET SERVICE
“We've got some really warm temperatures right now,” said Litterst.
It was in the “80s today, [will be in the] 70s the next two days, rain, maybe a thunderstorm coming,” he added. “All of that is a recipe for a shorter peak bloom, because the warmer temperatures will speed the leaves, replacing the blossoms.”
Each year the city hosts the National Cherry Blossom Festival, celebrating the blossoming of the tre..

An air traveler took to Reddit to share a flying experience that involved a fellow passenger invading her personal space.
Posted in the “r/delta” forum, the user wrote in the title that she “had to push someone’s feet back.”
“They decided halfway into the flight to start kicking/pushing on my calves with their feet/shoes,” the user wrote.
FLIGHT PASSENGER SAYS TRAVELER SENT $150 OVER VENMO IN SWAP FOR AISLE SEAT
The user also said the male passenger stuck his “whole foot” and shoe underneath the seat and over the bar, stretching into her personal area.
“I could see at least half his shoe before I did the shove and I should have taken a pic, it was nuts – almost his entire foot/shoe was where MY FEET should be,” the post said.
FLIGHT PASSENGER 'FINALLY' REJECTS SEAT-SWAP REQUEST, TRIGGERS SOCIAL MEDIA DEBATE
“DO NOT do this to the person in front of you. EVERYONE is uncomfortable- not just you,” the user added, saying it was the first time she has ever encountered this.
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A writer and photographer has spent the last 18 months capturing unbelievable images of the Scottish islands.
Alastair Jackson documented his adventures as he traveled to 42 remote locations, SWNS reported.
Jackson's photographs were inspired by the Scottish weather, light, clouds and landscapes along the west coast.
PENNSYLVANIA COUPLE TRAVELING ALL OVER THE GLOBE SHARE AMAZING PHOTOS, STORIES FROM WORLD TRAVELS
With nothing but a camera, a tent and walking boots, Jackson spent a minimum of one night camping out in each of the 42 remote destinations.
“My mum had said she didn't want to travel to any other islands, and it made me think when you grow up in one place, you don’t really travel,” Jackson told SWNS.
“So, I wanted to go and explore.”
The traveler said he found each of the locations to be a “fascinating adventure” as he went from the Isle of Barra to the Isle of Gigha and so much more.
FAMILY'S HISTORY IN SCOTLAND IS FOCUS OF MAZE SHAPED IN 5-POINTED STAR: &lsqu..

Millions of tourists from all over flock to the nation's capital each spring to catch a glimpse of the treasured cherry blossom trees.
The blooms reached peak blossom this weekend as travelers snapped photos along the Tidal Basin and amid the monuments.
While enjoying the scene, however, many visitors may not know there could be some harm done and even a penalty imposed for picking precious blooms or climbing the tree branches.
TRAVEL DO'S AND DON'TS FOR DC CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON AMID PEAK BLOOMS
Fox News Digital asked cherry blossom visitors over the weekend if they knew whether it's “illegal” to touch or pick the blooms. (See the video at the top of this article.)
“I don't know, but I already picked a couple of flowers, so I hope it’s not,” said a young boy from Frederick, Maryland, as he stood with his family amid the trees.
A woman named Gina, who was visiting from Pennsylvania, answered, “Most likely, if you're asking the question.”
Said a man named C..

Archaeologists believe they have uncovered evidence of an ancient biblical battle, all thanks to a few broken fragments found in a curious location.
The artifacts, which mostly consist of Egyptian pottery, were found during a recent excavation of the ancient city of Megiddo in northern Israel. The site is said to contain over 30 layers of various settlements, dating back from the Copper Age to World War I.
Tel Megiddo was the location where Josiah, the king of Judah, famously fought the Battle of Megiddo in 609 B.C. The Jewish leader was defeated and killed by the army of Egyptian Pharaoh Necho II.
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The story of the battle is told in the Second Book of Kings in the Old Testament, but Megiddo is also referenced in the Book of Revelation. The site is referred to as “Armageddon,” closely related to the Hebrew phrase “Har Megiddo,” which translates to “mountain of Megiddo.”
Megiddo is said to be the..

One flyer said she recently encountered a seat squatter on her flight and claimed she was shamed for asking the person to move.
In the forum “r/delta” on Reddit, the post was titled, “Man takes my window seat in lieu of his own window seat. On purpose.”
“I boarded my 3-hour Delta flight toward the middle of boarding, yet still in flow with my zone. The entire time I’m thinking, ‘I pray no one’s in my seat!’ I’m seated in C+ (F) side, which is a window seat – my personal preference,” the post read.
FLIGHT PASSENGER SAYS TRAVELER SENT $150 OVER VENMO IN SWAP FOR AISLE SEAT
The user said that once she approached her aisle, she spotted a man sitting in her seat.
“I reconfirm my seat assignment and politely say, ‘Sir, I think you’re in my seat.’ He motions with his hand toward the (A) window seat on the opposite side of the same aisle and says, ‘Take that one,’” the user continued.
The user said that once she looked over at the man..

Italian archaeologists recently unearthed ancient Roman tombs during the excavation of a necropolis – including one bearing the epitaph of a gladiator.
The discovery was announced by the Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape (ABAP) Superintendence for the Metropolitan Area of Naples on March 21.
In a statement translated from Italian to English, officials said that the dig took place in Liternum, an ancient town near the city of Giugliano in Campania.
ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER PROOF OF ANCIENT BIBLICAL BATTLE AT ARMAGEDDON SITE: 'EXCEPTIONAL PHENOMENON'
The excavation site was used as a necropolis from roughly the first century B.C. to the third century A.D.
Italian officials highlighted two funerary enclosures that still contained fragments of white cladding plaster “with a more recent decoration phase in red, separated by a closed space, and a very deep masonry well,” the press release said.
“One of the enclosures preserves in the center a quadrangular mausoleum…..

A backpacker traveled around Australia for free by pet-sitting — and has saved thousands of dollars doing it.
Hailey Learmonth headed to Australia in Jan. 2023 after googling “how to travel for free,” as SWNS reported.
For over a year, Learmonth looked after people’s pets in exchange for staying in their homes, for anywhere between six days and three months.
AS AIRLINES BUTTON UP DRESS CODES, THESE CLOTHES WILL GET YOU KICKED OFF A FLIGHT
The traveler has looked after dogs, cats, chickens and cows in Brisbane and the Gold Coast Hinterland, living rent-free and saving $15,000 that she would otherwise have spent on accommodations, according to SWNS.
The opportunity has given her the chance to explore all the “underrated” places in Australia while saving thousands on rent, nights out and booze, the same source said,.
Said Learmonth, a freelance social marketer originally from Canada, “Dog-sitting is definitely the way to go if you are trying to save money.”
MAN TRAVELS TO 42 REMOTE ISLAND..

An Israeli child made a discovery of biblical proportions during a family trip last month.
The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) reported on Monday that 3-year-old Ziv Nitzan came across a 3,800-year-old Canaanite amulet back in March. The Canaanites were the original inhabitants of the Levant and were descended from Noah's grandson Canaan, according to the Old Testament.
Omer Nitzan, Ziv's sister, told the IAA that her family was walking along Tel Azeka, a hill in the Judaean Foothills, when the 3-year-old spotted the artifact.
The tell, or mound, is the location of the ancient town of Azekah, which is referenced in 1 Samuel 17:1 during a biblical battle between David and Goliath.
ANCIENT TOMB TIED TO ROMAN GLADIATOR DISCOVERED BY ARCHAEOLOGISTS
“We were walking along the path, and then Ziv bent down – and out of all the stones around her, she picked up this particular stone,” the proud sister recounted. “When she rubbed it and removed the sand from it, we saw someth..

A miniature dachshund named Valerie, who has spent almost a year and a half lost on a remote island in southern Australia, has been spotted in the wild — now rescue workers and islanders think they're finally close to catching the little pup.
“Fantastic news off the bat,” Jared Karen, a staff member of Kangala Wildlife Rescue, said in an update video on the organization’s Facebook page.
“We have seen her, and we’ve narrowed down the search area to one specific point where we’ve got cameras in place.”
TOURISTS QUESTION IF SIMPLE ACT IS 'ILLEGAL' AMID CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON, PARK RANGER REVEALS ANSWER
He added, “She’s looking really healthy and from here it’s just little steps to continue to get her pretty comfortable.”
Valerie is no survivalist, her owner said. She’s actually quite the “princess.”
“It's absolutely unbelievable that she has survived a year and a half out there in the wild, honestly,” said Georgia Gardner, 24, o..