A few weeks ago, my parents and their friends stopped by on a flying visit on their way back north after a trip to Hilton Head (lucky people). I planned some fun activities to entertain them while they rested their wheels before the next leg of their journey – starting with a hike at Great Falls in the morning. In the afternoon, Steve wanted to watch football but I suggested that those who would like another walk might check out Embassy Row. I used to work in the neighborhood and walked up and down Embassy Row on many a lunch break, and I’ve attended parties and open houses at several of the Embassies, but somehow never think to bring guests here. It’s just such a uniquely D.C. thing, I decided I was remiss. My mom, her friend, and Peanut chose to come along – so it ended up being a girls’ outing. We parked near Dupont Circle and wandered up Massachusetts Avenue. One of the first big Embassies spotted – the Greek Embassy! I’ve actually been in this one, for an open house during Embassy Days, waaaaaaaay back in 2009 (feels like a lifetime ago!).

The Indian Embassy!

Several of the Embassies feature statues of their most illustrious citizens either on Embassy grounds or nearby. The Gandhi statue is one of my favorites.

Another freedom fighter – Nelson Mandela, who raises a fist just outside the South African Embassy.

One of my favorite things about Embassy Row is how different each of the Embassy buildings are. I love to check out the architecture and grounds. The Japanese Embassy is a massive compound set back from the street.

Many of the Embassies were flying the Ukrankian flag alongside their own flags, showing support – it was so heartening to see.

I have walked Embassy Row more times than I can count, and I swear I have a different favorite building every time. This time, it might have been Cote d’Ivoire, with its modern architecture, big glass windows through which cultural artifacts were proudly displayed, and this:

Elephant statue! I love elephants – they’re my favorite land animal – so naturally I found this enchanting.

We made it our goal to walk all the way to the British Embassy, which is up near the U.S. Naval Observatory – I love a long walk and I always want to make it at least this far. Another one of my favorites – I love the modern building and the subtle nods to the U.K., like the lion, crown and unicorn in the brick.

Hello, Prime Minister Churchill! (Peanut thought he was giving the peace sign – I explained that no, it’s a V for victory.)

Such a fun walk – I couldn’t believe I’d never taken my mom up to Embassy Row before (the parents have driven past some of the Embassies at various points, but never actually spent time walking around and really looking). We wrapped up our afternoon with tea and cookies at Teaism, so basically, it was a perfect girls’ day out in D.C.

Have you ever walked up Embassy Row?