DC Embassy Weekend: Around the World with Passport DC

February 12, 2025February 11, 2025 Mstldelano2 Comments

Craving some international travel, but your budget is saying, “Nope”? Want to enjoy some international culture without the hassle of dealing with TSA? Every May, Passport DC hosts a month-long festival that opens up the doors to many of the embassies in Washington, DC. As someone that loves attending gala events, I’m especially thrilled to do Passport DC, because, unlike the galas, no tickets are necessary, and you can visit a lot more embassies in one day than you could normally enjoy during the average week in DC. This post highlights my experience with Passport DC 2024, and yes, I will be in attendance for Passport DC 2025.

The first weekend of the Passport DC festival is the Around The World Embassy Tour. This weekend features many embassies from Africa, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Gulf countries, Eurasian and other non-EU European countries, and the UK. The doors open around 10 AM on the first Saturday of May, and most embassies will stay open until around 4 PM. The easiest way to enjoy this weekend is to start off with the map of the participating embassies: these maps are available either digitally (through the Passport DC website or mobile app) or in paper form. There are lots of signs located in the Embassy Row area, so you will have no problem locating the stands where you can get a map and a free tote bag (while they last). I like to gather with my friends at Dupont Circle (the park located in the roundabout is a great place to get your bearings and figure out where you want to go) and walk the length of Massachusetts Avenue. If navigating on foot is an issue, then charting your journey with a map, before catching an Uber to the embassies that interest you, is advised.

This is a family friendly event, so if you want to avoid kids, this is not the event for you. There will be MANY families out, enjoying the festivities. Also, if you want to enjoy the sample delights offered at some embassies (the Embassy of Cameroon grilled meat, and it had their block of Massachusetts Ave smelling heavenly!), getting to the embassies earlier rather than later is advised. The lines get long and there’s always a risk that the embassy may run out of whatever it is that you want to sample. I got to try Sri Lankan tea and snacks, Haitian soup joumou, and Jamaican rum during my last visit.

Art adorning the walls at the Haitian Embassy (this embassy is always a must-see!)

This year, I went to the Embassies of Chad, Haiti, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, and the UK. In previous years, I’ve visited the Haitian and Kenyan Embassies. My only regret is not starting earlier in the day: I would have loved to take in even more international culture.

The Chadian Embassy (it will get its own post soon!)

Statue of Mustafa Ataturk at The Embassy of Türkiye (Turkey) – here’s hoping I’ll be able to visit the embassy AND the country in the future

Statue of Nelson Mandela outside of the Embassy of South Africa

Winston Churchill at the Embassy of the United Kingdom

My day with the embassies ended with a delicious lunch at Rakuya, a Japanese restaurant that serves fresh, delicious meals. You will want to get here a bit earlier, too: they stop serving lunch around 4 PM, and shut down to prepare for the dinner crowd. Of course, if you have time to plan ahead, I recommend you go over to U Street Corridor and get some Ethiopian food, since most of those restaurants will be open after the embassy event until late in the evening.

I had a great time in DC during the Around The World Embassy Tour! Have you ever been to this festival? I’d love to hear your thoughts below!

art · international

Art at the Embassy of Haiti

September 20, 2018September 19, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Hey friends! I’ve been meaning to do this post for a while, but I had some distractions on my end that prevented me from focusing for a bit. However, I’m back, I have a bit more time, and I can finally share some of the artwork that I loved at the Haitian Embassy.

Murat Saint Vil, Islande of La Tortue

As you recall, I went to the Haitian Embassy last month, and I enjoyed a fun evening of music, food and fun personalities. While I don’t consider myself particularly social, I loved having the opportunity to get out for a bit and do something different from my ordinary routine.

Manes Descollines, Odette; Raymond Olivier, Green Light

I’ve mentioned several times before that the Haitian Embassy has an impressive art collection featuring works created by Haitian artists exclusively. The embassy is a mashup of a museum, an office, a library, and an elegant mansion. This is the kind of over-the-top grandeur that I LIVE for!

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Wilson Bigaud, The Healers (1973)

So the embassy is 3 stories high, and on the walls lining the stairwell, as well as all of the corridors, there are endless photos and paintings capturing the vibrant and beautiful energy of Haiti. I’ve visited Haiti and fell in love with the beautiful landscape and people. Visiting the embassy is the closest I can get to the island for now, and I’m thankful for it.

Yves Michaud, And God created Women

There were so many great paintings to see, and I wish I could have had the whole day to look at them all and ask questions. Sadly, I was only there for a little while: the event was in the evening and there was so much other fun things to check out at the embassy that learning more about the artwork simply wasn’t possible.

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Saint Louis Blaise, Interpellation (1980)

The crown jewel of the embassy was the only known painting of the royal issue of the first king and queen of Haiti. Three of the children of King Henri I and Queen Marie-Louise are depicted in the painting. This precious and significant artwork has been in private in hands for many years and has finally made it back to the people of Haiti. It was my privilege and joy to see it in person. If you would like to know more about the painting, click here. Please disregard the mislabeling presented in the article: this is the crown prince and his sisters, not the king, queen, and one of the princesses.

Unknown, Prince Victor-Henri, Princess Amethyste and Princess Athenaire

This is just a soupcon of the breathtaking art I saw while at the embassy. I can’t wait to return and see what new art they will have on display! I hope you all enjoy – talk to you all tomorrow!

international

Another Visit to the Embassy of Haiti

August 21, 2018August 20, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Recently, I visited the Haitian Embassy again: this time, it was for a cocktail-hour social event. The Embassy of Haiti is easily my favorite, and anytime I can find an excuse to go, I make it my business to be there.

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Bust of Toussaint L’Ouverture in the embassy

The last time I visited the embassy was last year, during the Around the World Embassy Tour weekend. Unfortunately, my time in the embassy was limited: it was my last stop during the tour and the embassy was closing within 30 minutes of my arrival. However, you couldn’t tell that the embassy was about to close by how gracious the staff was: the diplomats at the embassy were so charming, warm and friendly. This evening at the embassy was much of the same: the congenial spirit of Haiti was on full display.

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Photograph of His Excellency Jovenel Moise, President of Haiti

The food for the evening was catered by Gisele’s Creole Cuisine, and it was excellent! I’m fairly certain I’ve never had authentic Haitian food, so it was a real treat for me. I wish I had taken pictures of the food but alas, I was too busy eating!

Gerard Valcin, Agoue Ceremony, 1977

The embassy is my favorite because of the fact that is absolutely gorgeous on the inside, and it could easily double as a Haitian museum. There is so much breathtakingly beautiful art on the walls that I never realized that they have a LIBRARY on site. I almost squealed out loud when I stumbled into the simple but elegant library that housed all sorts of books on Haitian history, culture, art, food, politics – you name it!

So, it’s official: I want to live in the Haitian Embassy. Just put an air mattress on the first floor and I’ll be set LOL! Seriously though, I don’t know why more people aren’t talking about the beauty of this embassy. It is easily one of my favorite places in DC, and I fall more in love with it every time I go. If you ever get a chance to go to this embassy, DO IT! You’ll be glad that you did.