Lunch at World Bank in D.C.

Why World Bank?
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This was taken last summer, when I had some fun posing with my future daughter-in-law, in front of The World Bank.  Her dad was working that day and invited us to meet him for lunch. That's an opportunity you don't pass up!
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Driving in D.C.
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In the morning, after we did a little museum wandering, we found the perfect parking spot near The World Bank. It takes up an entire city block, so we still did a little walking to find the right entrance.   

Visitor Entrance
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We waited outside for our host to greet us at the proper door.  Then we checked in, getting special badges.  It was quite a thrill, since tourists can't exactly decide to eat lunch at World Bank.  And Don and I were defintely tourists in D.C.

Security
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We were checked through security, as we walked by a colorful wall of flags. Each flag represented a country involved in World Bank, since it's beginning in 1944. 

Atrium
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First we walked through the beautiful glassed in atrium with a vaulted skylight ceiling. This sleek, modern building has evidently evolved over the years, by using materials from past World Bank buildings.
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World Bank's Goal

The goal of the international financial institution is to reduce poverty, by providing loans to developing countries. This exhibit gave us something to ponder.

We paused for a moment to study this moving piece of art, that shows one of the many ways World Bank has worked with developing countries.

Dining
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Just getting to the cafeteria was an adventure.  We walked over a bridge, where some were dining above a blue pool.  

It was a Friday in July, so the atmosphere was quieter and more casual than usual. There was an option for a more formal dining room, but we'd heard great things about the cafeteria.

So Many Options
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Once we got our trays and utensils, our group of 5 scattered, in search of our favorite foods.  There are thousands of employees of World Bank and most aren't U.S. born.  So it made good sense that there would be food stations representing foods from all over the world. 

Dining on Trays
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I chose a station named, "Green Apron" where I picked out a salmon patty with zucchini and squash, along with some African Spice Eggplant.  We carried our trays to a huge dining area, broken up into cozy spaces.  Everyone seemed to have the routine down.  Eat on your tray and then bus your own table afterwards.

Doors of the World
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I managed to find one empty area to snap a photo.  There were many beautifully decorated areas, using bright backgrounds to display carved doors and shutters from around the world.  I wanted to be invisible and wander through the space, listening to all the different languages.  

Time to Go
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After we took our trays to be emptied, we crossed over the bridge again.  I noted the clocks and realized we'd finished our lunch just before 2, but it was about happy hour in London!  I wish we'd had more time to explore because there was so much besides food. There was a classy gift shop, that sold wine. There was even a cleaners, which is obviously more handy for employees, than guests. I heard there was a daycare somewhere in the building.

We're Off
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Don and I had to do a pose with our special badges.  You could tell we were first timers, because we weren't any too eager to take them off. What a fun experience with delicious food and wonderful company!