Today I visited the 2010 Festival of Nations over in St. Paul and had a nice crowded time. As always, there were hordes of people there, which gets on my nerves in trying to walk but also is nice in seeing such diversity.
Largely, the bazaar and cafe are where it's at. So of course, I spent a lot of time looking around at all the little buyables that are supposedly representative of their respective country (which, in many cases, aren't, but likewise in many are-- the Matryoshkas, for example). I ended up at the Tibet stand, where I bought a cute little knit hat (although summer is on its way) and a beaded bracelet. There I spoke to an older fellow from Tibet from whom I got the sense that he'd really like to go back but "(sigh)" he really cannot, "because China." He was really a kind old man and pressed my hand warmly before I left, and I was happy to have spoken to an interesting person.
Speaking of interesting persons, I continued ambling along through the stands, and I spotted a blanketed instrument obviously of Indian origin. I didn't know what it was, so I sort of stood and stared until the women took notice, then I asked them. As it turns out, it's a veena, the ancient cousin of the sitar, and the national instrument of India. They are 2000 years old and have a nice unique sound. The woman who led the troupe of veena players and others was one Ms. Nirmala Rajasekar, who coincidentally was going to be playing that day a small set, so I went to watch her. She was quite friendly, and really quite good, and reassured me that sitar "really isn't that complicated." I'll take her word for it..
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