Traveling through Europe by shuttle bus

Okay, it was not really Europe, but embassies of the European Union on May 9 for an Open House.    I did dress like an American tourist, and it was very hot.

First stop was the European Union delegation office to catch a shuttle.  There were four different shuttles: Blue, Red, Green and Yellow as the embassies are not concentrated in one area of Washington, D.C.  A good percentage of the embassies are on Massachusetts Avenue, NW, also known as Embassy Row.

I decided to do the Blue route first:  Sweden and France and Germany.  The latter two combine their open houses at one embassy. The last two years the event was at the French embassy, this year the Germans wanted to show off their renovated embassy.  Both are further out, north of Georgetown.

First stop: Sweden (which is in Georgetown, right on the Potomac River, next to the Sequoia Restaurant.)    Yummy goodies from Ikea.

Had to wait a bit for the free shuttle (and a 20 minute ride to the German embassy).  Long lines already.  German and French food (Yes, I will have another piece of Brie, thank you.) Free bags of Haribo candy (one of their sponsors), quizzes, games, culture, practice French or German with the Alliance Francaise or the Goethe Institute. I did the latter.  Toured the Ambassador's residence.  People in historic costumes walking around.  And then there was the biergarten ... real brats and König Ludwig Weissbier for sale. Other choices too.   Schmeckt gut!

Then an hour wait in line for the shuttle back to Dupont Circle to get the Red shuttle.

A selfie stop

Germany pushing the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017

Yes, a Trabi

German Ambassador's residence

Schmeckt gut!

Switched to the red shuttle. Planned to go first to the Belgian Embassy.  One of the EU volunteers said there was an hour wait to get into the Belgian embassy:  yup, that would happen when you are offering Waffles, Beer and Chocolate. 

I got off at Whitehaven and Massachusetts and walked up the street.  Winston Churchill still hailing the cab. Extra security at British Embassy. Lots of things to do and see.  Sorry, German Ambassador, but your residence, which is very nice, has nothing on the Sir Edwin Lutyens' designed stately home for the British Ambassador.

The British also had the Shakespeare Theatre (the one in DC) perform.  WETA UK (the only 24 hour 7 day a week all British programming PBS station) had a booth,  British food for sale and so on.  A tour of the ambassador's residence.  My camera (not me) got a close up view of a few interesting photos in one of the reception room.