I ate my way through the embassies

 

Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia/By Patricia Leslie

At the first two of three embassies where I stopped Saturday I found plenty to eat.

The embassies of Saudi Arabia and Iraq had huge spreads, but it was not the food I went for, right?  But the culture and learning...and not the food!  Riiiggghhhttttt.....

Saturday was "Open Embassies" Day (AKA "Around the World Embassy Tour" and DC Passport) when more than 50 embassies in Washington, D.C. welcomed visitors. 

I got to eight of them, but, alas, the embassy at the United Republic of Tanzania on 22nd had closed early by the time I dragged myself there. Three other visitors waited with me for a door to open. Not. Maybe, the staff had gone over to Saudi Arabia for some food fuel. 

But what a good and informative the day was!  And a beautiful one to match!

At the entrance to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with fresh floral bouquets galore/By Patricia Leslie

A live horse to see (but not ride) at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia/By Patricia Leslie

I know that Saudi Arabia is the "bad guy" and it's not politically correct to have anything to do with that nation (see Jamal Khashoggi, golf,  and Neom), but for my own selfish reasons and curiosity, the embassy was open!  How many times have I strolled past it on my way to the Kennedy Center and wondered about the interior?  Once in my car adjacent to the embassy, idlying for a few seconds while I searched my phone for directions, a guard shooed me away!  You think I was going to pass up a chance to see inside?  Sorry,  no.

Inside the entrance at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia whose national color must be green...on a desert?  Okay, I get it/By Patricia Leslie

I was wooed by the "free lunch" listed on the web and what a show, food, and "merch" Saudi Arabia offered.  

Even a live horse! (To admire, not to ride.)

FDR on the wall at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia/By Patricia Leslie

The best tea I've tasted!  At the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia/By Patricia Leslie

Tasty and plentiful Saudi food at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a yummy baklava pastry for dessert/By Patricia Leslie

The food was delicious and as much as you could want, finishing off with baklava and the tastiest tea I've consumed and water bottles aplenty to take. Even a Saudi lavender cardboard bag with a synthetic handle to carry away the loot, like mugs, hats, frisbees, t-shirts (more than one? sure!), and a dance program! 

Plenty of staff were on hand to greet visitors (once we got through the heavy security which wasn't too bad and the guards almost smiled).

Frisbees, t-shirts, caps, mugs and a light cardboard bag with synthetic handle to carry "merch" were given to guests at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia/By Patricia Leslie

A dance program with swords at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia/By Patricia Leslie

Next up was the Egyptian Cultural & Educational Bureau at 1303 New Hampshire Avenue, NW. It's a satellite linked to the much more elaborate Embassy of Egypt, a few miles away on International Court which has been open to the public in the past/By Patricia Leslie

The beautiful and varied stained glass windows on the first floor of the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau grabbed my attention/By Patricia Leslie

At the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau where helpers served small cups of orange juice/By Patricia Leslie

Another beautiful stained glass window at the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau/By Patricia Leslie

  

At the Egyptian Cultural and Educational Bureau/By Patricia Leslie

The longest line I saw all day was at the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq at 1801 P Street, NW, off Dupont Circle.  The line stretched around the corner on the left, but it moved swiftly with excellent directions at the door by a staff member who told us what lay in store for us: delicious food and merchandise but not in that order/By Patricia Leslie 

 At the entrance to the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq/By Patricia Leslie 

 Inside on the first floor at the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq/By Patricia Leslie 

 A "merchandise mart" was crowded inside the Iraqi embassy. To get free food, guests were first routed to the merchandise mart/By Patricia Leslie 

Goods for sale at the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq. Everything looked handmade/By Patricia Leslie 

Inside this case is a Sumerian harp, c. 3500 BC, decorated with a bull's head. Displayed at the Iraqi embassy and presumably NFS. Embassy guests are seen through the glass/By Patricia Leslie 

Al-Hikma Bookstore, 5627 Columbia Pike, Falls Church sold books at the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq/By Patricia Leslie 

  Handmade items at the Embassy of the Republic of Iraq/By Patricia Leslie 

At the Iraqi embassy, he said he was not the artist but a representative of the gallery selling the artist's works /By Patricia Leslie 

Out back at Iraq (almost sounds like the name of a tune!), there was a party going on with free Iraqi beverages and foods, including the age-old (in tradition, not in taste!) cookie, kleicha, traced back to Mesopotamia when women would offer kleicha to the goddess, Ishtar.  Also, among other delicacies, qeema, a stew of chickpeas and diced meat, was served Saturday/By Patricia Leslie 

Some of the treats served at Iraq included balango (chia seeds drink, made with water, sugar, cardamom, sometimes saffron, and cut fruits) and blenco (soaked chia or basil seeds mixed with sugar water and often flavored with rose water). Both, delicious!  Also, the dried desert lime tea was unlike any tea I've tasted in the U.S. These beverages and that drunk at Saudi Arabia far exceed the taste of any U.S. teas/By Patricia Leslie 

Over near the corner of 17th on Massachusetts, things were a bit rowdier near 
the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Visitors stood on balconies admiring the scene below/By Patricia Leslie

On the balconies at the Embassy of Uzbekistan on Massachusetts Avenue, the view from above. The wait to enter the embassy was not long/By Patricia Leslie

At the Embassy of Uzbekistan, these were for sale. I wasn't sure if the posted number "2,000" meant $2,000 or 2,000 sum/By Patricia Leslie

At the Embassy of Uzbekistan/By Patricia Leslie

Wooden works of art on display at the Embassy of Uzbekistan/By Patricia Leslie

At the Embassy of Uzbekistan/By Patricia Leslie

On the second floor of the Embassy of Uzbekistan with open balconies overlooking Massachusetts Avenue on the right/By Patricia Leslie

At the Embassy of Uzbekistan/By Patricia Leslie

A volunteer said this woman was dressed for a dance at the Embassy of Uzbekistan/By Patricia Leslie

Dignitaries and dancers at the Embassy of Uzbekistan/By Patricia Leslie

On the second floor of the Embassy of Uzbekistan. See the rich wall paneling/By Patricia Leslie

On down Mass Ave., raunchy grew. After waiting in an immobile line outside the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago for a coconut about 15 minutes, I ignored sunk time and strolled further down to another line where people waited in line to pay for Caribbean food.  Paying guests?  They didn't know you could eat for free at Saudi Arabia and Iraq!/By Patricia Leslie

At the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago/By Patricia Leslie

Inside the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago/By Patricia Leslie

Inside the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago/By Patricia Leslie

Inside the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago/By Patricia Leslie

She was not shaking a tail feather outside the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago. One of the t-shirts for sale inside said "TriniBAD"/By Patricia Leslie

It was a long line but it moved quickly at the Embassy of Peru/By Patricia Leslie

At Peru, ice cream was for sale outside ($5.50) and you could also buy inside a cup of Peru's national drink (like a marguerita), the pisco sour and highly recommended for $8. Sweet cola was given away there, too, and although I refrain from sweet cola, for sweet cola, it was good!/By Patricia Leslie

At the Embassy of Peru, there was dancing to live music outside/By Patricia Leslie

Protesters opposed to President Dina Boluarte and her tactics at Peru/By Patricia Leslie

These protesters at Peru carry signs, some of which showed faces of the 62 killed and missing in the latest Peruvian upheaval. Protesters blasted President Boluarte and her right-wing agenda, still supported by the U.S. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights says Peru has committed human rights violations, including the murders of Peruvians for political reasons which Boluarte denies. The people of Peru invite the world to join them in their battle for accountability and the end of suppression/By Patricia Leslie

At the Embassy of Peru, guests walked up and down, to and fro the second floor in single file/By Patricia Leslie

The ambassador's office on the second floor at the Embassy of Peru/By Patricia Leslie

The Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 1401 16th St., NW. The line was long and fairly immobile for the food section outdoors in the back, but getting inside did not take much time. I did not wait for food!/By Patricia Leslie

At the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, students answered questions/By Patricia Leslie

Inside the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan/By Patricia Leslie

At Kazakhstan, a table for children's play was set up/By Patricia Leslie

Next stop, May 13, 2023, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the 25 open European Union embassies, plus one country-in-waiting ....

patricialesli@gmail.com