SECRET LONDON / LONDRES SECRETO

Y ahora, alguna información curiosa y diferente sobre sitios que ver y visitar en Londres. Rincones poco conocidos pero no por ello menos interesantes. ¡Al contrario! Ahí van unos cuantos.

**CHRISTCHURCH  GREYFRIARS (monjes) ROSE GARDEN.
Just around the corner from Postman's Park is a beautiful rose garden in the remains of a derelict (abandonada) church.
Four queens, including the infamous Queen Isabella were buried here in the original Franciscan Church of Greyfriars (1225), which burnt down (se quemó) in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
The famous architect Sir Christopher Wren built a new church between 1687 and 1704, but this was destroyed during World War II.
The west tower still stands, with rose gardens outlining (perfilando) the nave of Wren's Church.

VISITING INFO
Address:  Postman's Park, King Edward Street.
Entry:  free (gratis). Open 7 days a week from 8am to 7pm.
Underground (Metro) station:  St Paul's.


**THE NEADSEN TEMPLE
The Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir  is a marble (mármol) Hindu temple.  With its spectacular domes (cúpulas) it appears as if the Taj Mahal has been relocated to suburban north-west London.
Opened in 1995, the temple was constructed using around 2,000 tonnes of Italian Carrara marble and 3,000 tonnes of Bulgarian limestone (piedra caliza), carved in India by more than 1,500 crafstmen (artesanos).

VISITING INFO
Address:   105-119 Brentfield Road, Neasden.
Entry: free, 9am to 6pm daily.
Underground station: Neasden.
Website: http://www.mandir.org/
As the mandir is a sacred place,there are a few rules for visitors.  No shorts or short skirts can be worn in the temple.  Shoes must be removed before entering and photography, food and drink are not allowed (permitidos).  The temple has its own restaurant serving authentic vegetarian food.

**THE LONDON SILVER  VAULTS (cámaras acorazadas)
Three floors under the city, a labyrinth of more than 30 shops contains the largest collection of antique silver in the world.  The London Silver Vaults began life as  the Chancery Lane Safe Deposit in 1876.  Wealthy (ricos) Londoners would store (almacenar) their household (de casa) valuables (objetos de valor) here.  With walls over a metre thick (espeso) and steel-lined (revestidas de acero), they were very safe.  During World War II a bomb destroyed the building above the ground but left the vaults untouched!  After 1953 the "strong rooms" were converted into shops. It is estimated that the contents of the London Silver Vaults have a total value of over 50 million pounds!

VISITING INFO
Address: 53-64 Chancery Lane, on the corner of Southampton Buildings.
Entry: free, from Monday to Friday  9am to 5.30 pm, Saturday  9am to 1pm.
Underground station:  Chancery Lane (5minutes walk).
Website:  http://www.thesilvervaults.com/

ENJOY THE VISIT!!!