Artemis' Handmaidens

Today we left the coast and headed inland for the Turkish hinterlands. Not really, but that's how one of the guidebooks says it. Our first stop was a town called Sart (Turkish) and Sardis (ancient Roman) that has a couple of ancient ruins that were very interesting.

The first ruin we visited was the Temple of Artemis. It was really fantastic, but you've seen a lot of these photos on my blog already. Now here's the under-story. We parked the car and paid the entrance fee, the began the walk toward the ruins, which are around a bend in the path so that they are not visible from the parking area.

Before we came within sight of the temple, we were met by the expected souvenir merchants AND four young ladies selling little bouquets and garlands that they had made. Since these girls were so sweet and only asked for one lire (about sixty cents), I gave it to them and asked for their photo. They were thrilled and really hammed it up.

Next we exchanged names. Theirs are (from left) Nestihon, Hatice, Havva and Zeynep. They asked me my name and I said "Kim", to which they repeated "you" by pointing back at me. Turns out my name, Kim, means "who" in Turkish, so every time someone asks me my name and I tell them, it's a kind of "Who's On First" routine. I have learned a little pantomime that reinforces that indeed MY name IS Kim!