Dec
4
2006
The Bishop
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ONE of the premiere comedy spots in the world lies in an imposing neo-Byzantine building in the old town of Nicosia, Cyprus, bearing the unjustly sonorous title ‘The Archbishopric.’ It is where the Archbishop, the head of the comedy club known as the Cyprus Church resides, and where the bishops and other higher clergy convene to ensure a ceaseless supply of spiritual hilarity. The heart of the Cyprus Church may seem an unlikely place for top-class comedy, but anyone who has witnessed any of the latest ecclesiastical acts, whether live or on television, will agree that it’s the best show running in the Eastern Mediterranean, on par with South Park, Eddie Murphy’s Delirious, or the best clips from The Daily Show. Continue reading
May
4
2006
Walking the Cyprus E4 (Part I)
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Kaminaria Departure
AFTER FILLING in my name and place of employment, the young policeman behind the desk looked at me quizzically, apparently confounded by the next piece of information requested on the incident form. “And you were doing this why?” he said finally. “Hobby?”
The perplexity couched in his question had been more bluntly expressed that same morning by an elderly monk at Kykkos monastery after my cousin Christos had explained the two of us were on a five-day trek from a village in the Troodos mountains to the Akamas peninsula: “And why, my son?” Continue reading
