Destination: Washington, D.C. (Visiting Adams-Morgan & Georgetown, Ethiopian Food for Dinner– PART 2)

Healy Hall of Georgetown University (April 2025)

Continuing our first full day in Washington, D.C., my partner and I wrapped up our visit of the Renwick Gallery and decided to spontaneously catch the metro to Bethesda, where we spent part of the afternoon in town (more on it later). It was my first time visiting Maryland, and we took in the state before returning to D.C. in the mid-afternoon, where we continued to explore more of the US capital.

From the metro, we headed up to Adams-Morgan, a colorful neighborhood known for its counterculture and arts scene; it also has a notable LGBTQ community and overall is a hip and vibrant place to be. My partner and I strolled along the busy 18th St NW, popping into a bookstore to browse a bit; we did not buy any books, but I did purchase a hat, as I had forgotten to bring one for the trip to shade myself from the sun. Weather was inconsistent in the spring, going from windy and chilly to warm and humid within a few hours.

Adams-Morgan neighborhood

We returned to our hotel afterwards, where my partner wanted to rest for a bit before dinner. I was keen on exploring more, so I set off on my own, walking over to Georgetown to check out another neighborhood of D.C. Despite the capital being small in size (61 square miles), it is home to over 130 different neighborhoods, each with their own distinctive identities. Georgetown is a notable university quarter, with its eponymous school and plenty of charmingly historic Federal-style buildings that make for a picturesque stroll through the cobblestone streets.

I spent the rest of the afternoon in Georgetown, checking out its Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal, which runs a whopping 185 miles (298 km) from Washington, D.C. all the way to Cumberland in northern Maryland. Of course, I did not walk the entire path to Maryland, but I did take a stroll for a half-mile before returning to the busy M Street NW, which was absolutely packed with college students out and about at the restaurants, cafés and bars, and clothing stores lining the street.

Segment of the C&O Canal

On my way to Georgetown University, I passed by the so-called “Exorcist Steps.” Consisting of 97 steps, this set of stairs are incredibly steep, built back in 1895, but became famous for the 1973 horror film The Exorcist, during a scene when a character fell to his death down the staircase. Personally, I am not a fan of horror and have not seen The Exorcist before, but it was interesting to walk by a notable filming area.

The Exorcist Steps

Soon enough, I reached Georgetown University, a private and prestigious school and one of the oldest in the United States, founded back in 1789. This university has notable alumni, including former US president Bill Clinton and actor Bradley Cooper. I made it to the main campus with the iconic Healy Hall, constructed in 1879 in Gothic Revival and Romanesque style. As it was springtime, the flowers were in full bloom, and it added to the stateliness of the building– it kind of reminded me of Hogwarts in Harry Potter!

Healy Hall

From there, I took a stroll along O and P Streets, both cobblestone and lined with row houses. It was very picturesque, and then I made my way back to the hotel. I took the scenic route along the Potomac River, where I saw rowers practicing their sport; I also could see the state of Virginia across the water, and soon, I returned back to our accommodation to freshen up and for my partner and I to get ready for dinner.

Strolling O Street

Along the Potomac River

We took an Uber to get Ethiopian food. In fact, D.C. has a notable Ethiopian population, many who had immigrated in the 1970s due to civil unrest. Today, there are tens of thousands, if not over 100,000 Ethiopians living in D.C., the largest population outside of the country. That said, the capital is home to “Little Ethiopia” and therefore plenty of Ethiopian-run businesses, including the restaurant we went to.

I enjoy Ethiopian cuisine, and we ordered some sambusas to start, before getting a beef and vegetable injera platter. All was delicious and flavorful, with generous portions. We left full and happy, briefly stopping to grab some gelato as a post-dinner treat before catching an Uber back to our hotel– we were exhausted after a long day of exploring, and we would need to rest for another long day out and about.

Beef and vegetable platter with injera

More to come soon– until then! 🙂

— Rebecca