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Here's something funny. (We haven't left for India yet) But since we're going tonight I wanted to do something this afternoon to wear out my girls so they'd sleep well on the airplane.

My mom heard on the radio yesterday that there was an India Festival on Penn's Landing in Philadelphia today. Weird huh? Our last day. So we decided to go. It started from noon and goes to 8PM. We got there on the stroke of 12 and wandered around. There were quite a few Indian vendors selling overpriced jewelry and clothing. We looked and wandered some more before eating lunch.

While I was in the long line at the one (1) Indian food stand I realized that I was salivating and really craving Indian food. That hadn't happened before. I love Indian food but I eat it every meal, every day in India and rarely crave it while in the US, so this was definitely strange. It was good (VERY OVERPRICED) South Indian fare.

We walked to the area where the stage was set up and waited. It's where E. wanted to be. And then the "cultural programme" started (only 45 minutes late).

They began with the American and Indian national anthems. I'm pretty sure I was the only non-Indian there who knew both. I got choked up on both songs. I couldn't figure out if it was because I'm going or coming. Very strange.

We stayed for a little while and watched the mediocre* dances and songs before leaving at 2:00 to get C. home for a nap.

It's worth going to tonight or the next time it's in town (probably next August). It's most definitely authentically Indian.

*I'm spoiled by truly traditional Indian cultural programmes.