Ashland has international flavor

Pavlov's dogs salivated at the sound of a bell.

My mouth starts watering when I hear sitar music.

That's because I associate the sounds of the sitar with Indian food. So when I got tickets to see the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's production of the ancient Indian comedy "The Clay Cart," it was only natural that I would head to Deep's Indian Cuisine in downtown Ashland before the play.

The chicken tikka masala, garlic naan and chai tea I had there rivaled the fare found in Portland or San Francisco. It was the perfect thing to get me in the mood to enjoy "The Clay Cart."

At the beginning of the play, the loyal Maitreya lists various Indian dishes that are now out of reach for his friend, a merchant who has lost his fortune.

Maitreya announces that one could belch just in anticipation of the savory food.

From there, the audience is plunged into the world of India as Carudatta, the merchant, and his would-be lover, Vasantasena, match wits against the dastardly villain Samsthanaka.

The actors revel in the chance to show off their physical and verbal comedic talents. Although "The Clay Cart" was written centuries ago, the humor — by turns silly and sophisticated — translates remarkably well. Think Monty Python's "Search for the Holy Grail" combined with the drama and plot twists of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

The play features live music played by musicians who are masters of Indian instruments. The actors not only act, but sing, chant and dance.

The entire evening of food and theater was like a mini-vacation to India.

And that's what's so great about Ashland. Hardly a week goes by without multiple internationally flavored events. It's easy to match an event with a restaurant.

Indian, Italian, French, Thai, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, British, Chinese, Japanese — you name it and Ashland's probably got it.

The fact that so much global culture and cuisine is right here is especially welcome in light of spiking gas prices, a weakened U.S. dollar abroad and the fuel cost increases, maintenance problems and bankruptcies that have roiled the airline industry.

In just the past few weeks, Ashland has seen performances that included Middle Eastern music by the Brothers of Baladi, classical Indian dance by Ananda Natya Dance Company, Zimbabwean marimba music, classical guitar by Spanish virtuoso David Russell and percussion instruments from Java by Gamelan Degung Leuwi Asih.

The Varsity Theatre has screened "Taxi to the Darkside" about the suspicious disappearance of an Afghani taxi driver, the multi-lingual "Band's Visit" about an orchestra that visits an Arab Cultural Center in Israel and "In Bruges," set in Belgium.

The Kagyu Sukha Choling Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center has held free introductions to Buddhism and meditation. In nearby Talent, Camelot Theatre Company is staging "Dancing at Lughnasa," a play about five sisters living in an Irish village in 1936.

Upcoming international events are easy to find by browsing through Revels, the Daily Tidings' weekly arts and entertainment guide.

It's been said that food is the easiest and most enjoyable entry point into another culture.

Approaching a culture through its art forms — whether they be music, dance, theater or film — has to rank a close second.

In Ashland, sampling the tastes, sights and sounds of other countries is never more than a stroll away.

That's good news for anyone who would rather spend money locally rather than handing over more hard-earned cash to speculators and oil companies.