Chariots of Fire - If You Liked the Movie - You Will Love the Play

Waiting for our dinner at our table in "The Buffalo Brothers" across the street from our play.

We spent a beautiful night on Friday - dinner at Fratelli La Bufala (Buffalo Brothers) - a stroll around Piccadilly Circus -  then "Chariots of Fire" - finally a night cap at Marlborough Arms.

London is buzzing with the exciting anticipation of the coming Olympics. I can't quite tell if it is the calm before the storm - or the breezes before the first thunderclap.

We left our apartment at 5:30 - catching a double decker bus south to the theatre district. Lulu chose Fratelli La Bufala - mainly because of the wood-fired oven clearly visible from the sidewalk. We sat on the second floor with a picture window view of the Gielgud Theatre on Shaftsbury Avenue. The Gieldgud is on a corner within a row of about 5 theaters playing - Michael Jackson Show - LesMiserables - etc.

After dinner - we had about a half hour to stroll along Piccadilly Circus doing a little window shopping and enjoying the early theatre crowd. At 7:15 - the doors opened and we were unfashionably first to our seats. The play - Chariots of Fire - is mainly about 2 English runners preparing for the 1924 Olympics in Paris. 

Our seats were in the stalls - close up to the stage in the second row. What was unusual is that we were sitting in the middle of a running track. For most of the play - the actors would run around us! What seemed silly as first - made the play action packed and kept your attention. Combining the haunting music of Vengalis - and a circular treadmill - they pulled the whole thing off. The Choreography had split second timing - along with a few spectacular strobe light effect scenes - one could easily imagine being in the center of these historic games.

The play followed the script of the movie. Simply - it focuses on the life of 2 British gold medal winning runners. Harold Abrahams - a Jewish "athletic scholarship" student at Cambridge - and - Eric Liddell - the Flying Scot - an unorthodox runner and minister from China via Scotland. Both runners really won gold medals in the 1924 games and went on to lead very productive - albeit different lives. 

As fate would have it - it is July 7th - the day that Harold Abrahams won the gold medal in the 100 meters in 10.5 seconds. Arthur Porritt of New Zealand finished 3rd with a 10.7 time. For the next 54 years - Abrahams and Porritt had dinner together on every 7-7-7. July 7th at 7 PM. Tomorrow on July 8th - the Olympic torch will pass in front of Harold Abrahams home in Bedford - north of London. At that time they will unveil the "blue sign" on Abraham's home. In Britain - the "blue sign" is a national sign of respect - an honor from your country - forever.

Jackson Shultz - the USA superstar and bon vivant - finished second at 10.6.  A few races later - Shultz ran the 400 meters race against Eric Liddell. A few seconds before the race began Schultz who respected Eric’s religious stance ran up to him with a piece of crumpled paper on which were written  “It says in the old book, they that honour me, I also will honour”. Eric Liddell, paper in hand, ran the race of his life and won. He was acclaimed a hero in, and of Scotland.

There are many other side stories in the play - one which felt very personal to me. Sam Masabini was a professional trainer. In those days - having a "professional" trainer was not acceptable. Masabini trained Harold Abrahams to be at his best. Masabini did not enter the stadium - he only heard  of Abrahams success via hearing the national anthem lilting through the air to his hotel room. Masabini near the end of his life had a taste of success through Abraham's success - but was not able to revel in the victory. He punched a hole in his straw hat instead.

After the play - we stopped by our favorite pub for a night cap. The last call bell rang at 10:45 - we walked the last 100 yards home. We were very pleased with a wonderful night that we hope is a harbinger of what the next 5 weeks have in store for our family.

This is our 5th summer in London - not enough time to get a feel for what makes one "British." But tonight we enjoyed a bit of the story - an old London theatre - a double decker bus ride dressed up for a play - Piccadilly Circus at a 5 o'clock rush hour - a play about an old Olympics celebrating a new one that will burst on the scene in 3 weeks. More history will becaptured by NBC Sports. Even in failure - like Captain Smith on the Titanic when he said "Be British" - I am starting to feel what he meant - maybe a little bit.

As George Bush might said - "Where are all the chariots?"

The Gielgud Theatre on Shaftsbury Avenue.

The flags of all the Olympic nations hang on Regent Street.

The ceiling of our theatre from our seats in the stalls.

We were first in the theatre and a chance to video the place from our seats "inside the track."

See A Giant 3D Map of London

The Building Centre on Store Street off Gower Street in London houses a 30 feet by 50 feet platform map layout of London. You can see it through the store front window - but you can also walk around the map inside. It is just north of the FSU Study Centre.

 The Thames River

 Buckingham Palace

 Parliament

St James Park

Big Ben - Parliament - The London Eye

Chariots of Fire - The Play - Not The Movie

In the 1924 Olympics - the Brits dominated the short races. The play is about a Jew and a Gentile - and not racing on the Sabbath.

I just got back from walking to the Gielgud Theatre and back. Lulu gives me some brief instructions before she leaves every day. If I am a good boy - I get half of them done.

I went to the box office to pick up two very nice tickets to see "Chariots of Fire." I loved the movie - so I am guessing I am going to like the play. Especially since we are sitting inside the track. Yes - there was plenty of running in the movie that came out in 1981 that featured the 1924 Olympics. During that Olympics Johnny Weissmuller - Tarzan - won 3 gold
 medals in swimming. The Olympics cost 10,000,000 francs to stage and only took in 5,000,000 francs.

Tonight our seats are inside the race track. The actors will run around us! I got tickets in the 4th row for 26 pounds each - about $80 total. I walked up to the ticket office at 1 PM for a play that is 7 PM that night - tonight.

One time I took Lulu to the Dover 500 in Delaware (1975). We had free press passes for the infield - inside the track. But at that race - you walked into the infield on the track. While the race was going you were stuck in there. The race was long - about 5 hours - and all 3 of us got sick - Lulu - my Dad - and me. I am sure it was carbon monoxide poisoning.

Tonight - I hope there is a way out of the "infield" to the bathroom.

We are going to see "Chariots of Fire" tonight - definitely a Brit play.

The Gielgud Theatre on Shaftsbury Avenue - named after Sir John Gielgud.

Tickets were 26 pounds - about $40 each.

We are sitting inside the track (the black ring) - seats D17 and D18.

A Few Minutes From Our Front Window - Looking East at the University of London

Looking East on Torrington Place - University of London. We are at 52 degrees north latitude - and at 5 PM the sun is in the northwestern sky - shadows  go southeast. This is the view as I type.

We are in London for 5 weeks. The first 3 weeks - Lulu teaches her normal FSU Study Centre course. The last 2 weeks - she is free to enjoy the Olympics with her family. This is our 5th summer here.

Due to a mistake on my part - we did not book our large apartment at 12 Bedford Place for the whole 5 weeks. I was so happy to get that large apartment for the 4th and 5th week - I forgot to book it for weeks 1 - 2- 3.

Our apartment at 1 Byng Place is the 1st floor - the 3 windows on the left.  The video was taken from the 3rd window looking east.

FSU gives Lulu a free efficiency apartment while we teaches. For extra cash - they give us a 6 room - 2 bath - Victorian Town House. With that place - we have plenty of room to invite friends and family. 

When I found out we were booked for an efficiency - 1 Byng Place - I was worried we would not like it. We were spoiled by the big place with 10 foot high ceilings. They say the 3 most important thing about real estate are location - location - location. Our present apartment has that in spades.

We are on the first floor of a large single-standing apartment building. It was just opened in June after being completely gutted. Everything is new - bathrooms - kitchens - electrical - plumbing - furniture - fixtures - dishes - and electronic locks. The build faces east - looking across the University of London campus. UL has been ranked 17th of all the colleges in the world. It occupies several city blocks. It is a physically and culturally beautiful place. It is our luck that this apartment has 3 giant windows facing the morning sun and thousands of students hurrying off to class. 

With gasoline over $8.00 a gallon (1.5 pounds a litre) - bicycles - scooters - buses - trains -  and diesel cabs are a way of life. Students do not seem to be as heavy as American students because they walk a lot more than we do.

It is our 5th day here - and already 1 Byng Place has me smitten. Some of you will say that I like it because FSU pays the entire bill. I assure you we are looking forward to the 4th and 5th week when all of my family is coming over for the Olympics and we will be back in 12 Bedford Place. Dan and Ann Novey - Jean and Marylou - Margie and Susanne - Jack - Robin - Drew - Keith - Liz will vouch for 12A Bedford Place. Byng Place and the University of London is a nice change. Did I tell you it costs less?  :-)

My Visit to the Town of Caterham and the Famous Catheram 7 Sports Car

To enlarge click on picture - double click to make it even bigger.

I am guessing the license plate stays with a car over here.

Caterham - pronounced KAY - ter - um - is a small town about 25 miles south of our place in downtown London. Since London is surrounded by a large freeway - Caterham is a very distinct and separate old town.


I took the train from Euston Station to London Bridge Station - then another  train to Caterham. Same way home - maybe an hour each way.


Since Colin Chapman started Caterham Cars in the 1950s - until recently when the manufacturing branch moved to Dartford - this has been the headquarters of this fabulous little car - the Caterham Lotus Super 7.


The first time I saw one it was beating everybody at the Hershey Hill Climb in Pennsylvania. The car is so light and quick that in many sports car racing events - it has been banned.


Chapman's idea was very simple and similar to the idea of Carroll Shelby - take a light British sports car and put a powerful engine in it for racing. Where Shelby focused on powerful Ford V8's - Chapman went with a featherweight tubular frame with tweaked out Ford Cosworth 4 cylinder engines. The first cars in the 1950s had only 43 horsepower - but they weighed under 1000 pounds - less than some motorcycles.


One need only do the math to figure out why this car can beat the Chevrolet Corvette through the slaloms. The present top of the line car has a 260 HP four cylinder in a 1000 pound car. That comes out to less than 4 pounds per horsepower.


There are a few Caterham Cars in the USA - but they demand premium prices. It is because the car cannot withstand the tough emissions and crash tests. They can be brought into America with the title stamped "Not for on the road use." I have heard of some crazy fans converting them over to run on propane to pass the strict tests.


I got off the train at Caterham - and asked the conductor where was Caterham Cars. It is physically attached to the train station - right on the main street in downtown Caterham.


There is an old glass showroom facing the main street - and a garage out back with about 40 cars all lined up with prices and specifications of each car.


The receptionist had her desk in the showroom - she answered the phone while we conversed. There were two other guys in the back - but in my one hour of taking pictures and gaping - neither one said a word to me.


Prices ranges from about $60,000 to about $18,000 - some were new and others were over 10 years old. I saw one with 41,000 miles on it - the rest of them mostly had miles under 5000. Needless to say the $60,000 ones were the 260 HP beasts. The $18,000 one was the cute little one I covet - because it is in my price range and it has sweeping gull wing fenders - similar to an MG-TC or a Morgan.


A couple of weeks ago - I went to an airport in Moultrie GA to watch Mark Hohmeister race his Mustang through the cones. There is nothing I would rather do than to show up in a Caterham and set the track record on my first run.


Last summer I visited the factory in Dartford - the boyhood home of Sir Mick Jagger. This year I went to the birthplace of the Caterham in Caterham.

I took a lot of pictures with my Sony H-5  - $70 craigslist camera - so you are going to suffer through them.

This is one of the very first 1950s Caterham Super 7's. It has 43 HP and could be had as a kit or a turnkey car - $700 and $1400.

This is the history of this early car.

This guy loved to talk about his car. He had it in for routine service. It is a 10 years old car with 4000 miles on it. He never uses the top and never drives it when he thinks it might rain - which it most the time over here. He bought it used 5 years ago.

Here is the guy is re-adjusting the 5 point shoulder straps - because the test driver changed them.

There were only a couple of cars outside.

This guy said the car is stiff - catlike quick - noisy - and he got out of it pushing down as if he were on the parallel bars not using his feet.

There were about 40 cars available - in various states of tune - ages - mileage.

British Racing Green and Yellow are the colors of the Lotus Racing Team

This window sticker goes with the car directly above it.

I coveted this car - about 10 years old - 4000 miles - and the old sweeping fenders. At $18,000 I could probably afford it.

$12,000 pounds times 1.5 = $18,000

The interior of the red car is pretty plain. Since I am left-handed shifting should be easy. Note the side curtains but no top. It has a top - but they seldom use the tops because they look funny.

$60,000 and 260 HP make this one a fire breather.

Fenders are made of carbon fiber to make these cars even lighter.

This is the maintenance shop - looks like an old garage in the USA from the 40s.

This one cost about $33,000 - it hardly had any miles on it.

If you enlarge the picture you can read the sticker.

A row of $60,000 cars.

My car - $18,000 - 135 HP - 1000 pounds.

Note the exhaust.

Note the two open carburetors

These yellow cars were trainers - they were also for rent.

260 HP.

4 cylinders - 16 valves - Ford Coswirth engine.

In 2007 - they released a 50th anniversary version.

The top is pretty ugly - it also looks like a pain to put up. Someof then had tight little tonneau covers.

 Caterham Cars is on the main street right next to the train station in Caterham Surrey

This 1958 Lotus was in the showroom.

The 1958 had a 950 CC engine - like a motorcycle.

To get past the US safety laws they were sold as kits. Here is a chassis and body. Add the engine - seats - wheels - and you have a car.

They sold all sort of accessories right in the show room.

This was the waiting room for service.

 This is a picture of downtown Caterham from 1906 when the first train came in.

See the Caterham 7 logo right next to the train station logo. The brick building in the foreground is a Waitrose Grocery - our favorite.


See Factory Tour Here