Dewey

As part of the EU open house event in Washington, D.C. the British Embassy will be open this Saturday. I hope they'll let visitors look around the ambassadors residence & garden. More info at:
http://www.britainusa.com/sections/a...&L2=41029&d=-1

Englishmum

Such short notice, what a shame! I would have liked to have gone for a 'sticky beak'....although apparently the most 'upscale' of the British embassies (or maybe it's the Ambassador's residence?) is the one in Paris.

We used go to the annual garden fetes in the grounds of the British High Commissioner's beautiful residence in Singapore, a colonial mansion called Eden Hall (and you could go inside and look around the ground floor).

http://www.manchester-alumni.org/images/Eden_Hall_1.jpg

It was under the auspices of the British Business Council and many British companies had stalls there - with great raffle prizes. Also selling their wares were 'trailing spouses' who had their own little businesses eg. children's clothes, birthday cards etc. There was a beer tent (and Pimms of course!) and the Gurkhas - some of whom are based in Singapore - had a marching band with bagpipes (imagine wearing kilts and bearskin hats in the tropical heat! ).

There was always a plastic tarp waterslide for the kids on the hilly bank (which ruined the grass) an ice-cream stall and a tug of war competition for the men. It was a grand day out...

Although not an Aussie we did once go to the "Not the Melbourne Cup Race Night" at the Australian High Commission. It was a great laugh, we all placed bets on wind-up clockwork toy pigs etc. and all the women wore crazy home-made hats.

One year we went to the 4th of July extravaganza at the 'Terror Club' at the US Naval base (which is enormous and at that time anyone could go to it) and I've never seen or heard such spectacular fireworks anywhere else, ever. The organisers (American Association) would get huge donations from the big American companies operating there to pay for all the entertainment (jazz bands, rock bands, country singers) and of course the fireworks. The American Ambassador did a speech and when one of the female jazz singers sang the 'Star Spangled Banner' many of the homesick Americans shed a tear as they held their hand to their heart.....aw, bless...

Good times and a great place to be an expat (gosh I'm feeling a bit wistful this evening! )

Dewey

Thanks EnglishMum for sharing your wonderful memories. The EU Open House event takes place every year at this time, although this is the first time the British Embassy has taken part. When I was living in Greenwich a few years ago I could hear the July 4 fireworks at the US Embassy all the way across town! http://www.americansociety.co.uk/events.htm

penguinsix

The Embassy used to have a 'Football Club' where (provided you signed up and met the security clearance) you could come to the Embassy on Saturday mornings and watch matches on a big screen.

By far the best embassy sporting events though are the Tri-Nations at the Australian embassy. It usually opens about 2 am or so for the select guests with 50¢ hot dogs and $1 beers. I've seen a few games there on their huge wide screen projection tv.

Dewey

The Embassy has a media room with a wall of televisions around a stonking big wide screen job, great for watching wimbledon! Wish they would have something like the football scheme you mentioned.