Unexplained Teleportation: The Shocking Case of Flores El Gaditano
In September 1978, an extraordinary incident occurred in Paleo, Cadiz, Spain, that would perplex researchers for decades. Florencio Ruiz Lara, a successful flamenco singer known professionally as Flores El Gaditano, experienced what many consider to be an unexplainable phenomenon while tending to his vegetable garden. The 57-year-old man observed a strange, intensely bright light in the sky that appeared to be approximately the size of a steering wheel surrounded by a grayish ring of light.
What makes Lara's case particularly compelling is the physical evidence he reportedly brought back from his experience. After feeling paralyzed and unable to flee, Lara found himself transported to an unfamiliar location with sand-like ground. Following instructions from a mysterious voice, he collected samples of this sand before suddenly returning to his farm, discovering that three hours had passed. Scientific analysis later revealed the sand originated from northern Canada, approximately 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle—thousands of miles from Spain.
Key Takeaways
Florencio Ruiz Lara experienced a strange encounter in 1978 that left him with inexplicable missing time and physical evidence.
Scientific analysis determined the sand samples Lara collected originated from the Arctic Circle, despite him never having left Spain.
The case remains one of the rare instances where an individual was apparently instructed to collect and retain evidence of their unusual experience.
Florencio Ruiz Lara's Life Story
Florencio Ruiz Lara achieved significant fame as a flamenco singer in Spain during the 1970s, performing under the stage name "Flores el Getatano." His musical career brought him both recognition and financial success in his homeland.
On September 6, 1978, when Lara was 57 years old, his life took an extraordinary turn. While tending to his vegetable garden in Paleo, Cadiz around 11:00 AM, he noticed an intensely bright light in the sky. The object, which Lara described as being roughly the size of a steering wheel, hovered approximately 20 meters above nearby trees.
Despite feeling increasingly nervous, Lara found himself unable to return to his house. Instead, he inexplicably began walking toward the object, as if compelled by an external force. When fatigue suddenly overwhelmed him, he knelt down for a better view.
The mysterious object approached Lara, filling him with terror. He attempted to flee but discovered he was completely paralyzed—conscious but unable to move. Darkness enveloped him, and the surrounding forest dimmed as though it were dusk.
Moments later, Lara found himself in what appeared to be a desert or beach environment with sandy ground—completely different from the dirt terrain of Paleo. The sky looked unusual, and he felt as though he were inside a large dome structure. A voice instructed him to collect sand, which he did twice, placing it in his pocket.
In an instant, Lara returned to his property in Paleo, standing near the fountain. The luminous object had vanished. Upon checking the time, he was shocked to discover it was 2:30 PM—he had lost three hours with little memory of what had transpired.
When Lara reached home, he checked his pockets and found them filled with sand, which he carefully preserved in a clean jar. For a month following this incident, he experienced sleep disturbances that he believed were connected to his strange experience.
The sand became crucial evidence of Lara's unexplained journey. Analysis conducted by the Institute of Material Science in Sevilla revealed that the sand did not match any beaches in Cadiz. Further examination by Walter and Mack, a microbiologist from the University of California, determined that the sand originated from northern Canada—approximately 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle.
This case was documented by researcher J.J. Benetez in his book. Florencio Ruiz Lara passed away on July 14, 2021, leaving behind his extraordinary story and the mysterious circumstances of his apparent transportation across continents.
The Mysterious Encounter
Florencio Ruiz Lara, known professionally as "Flores el Getatano," enjoyed considerable fame as a flamenco singer in Spain during the late 1970s. His artistic success brought him wealth and recognition, but it was an extraordinary experience on September 6, 1978, that would mark him forever.
At 57, Lara was tending to his vegetable garden in Paleo, Cadiz. While watching a jar fill at a nearby fountain around 11 AM, he noticed an intensely bright light in the sky. The object appeared approximately the size of a steering wheel, surrounded by a grayish ring of light with a luminous point in its center, hovering about 20 meters above nearby trees.
Despite growing nervous, Lara found himself unable to retreat to his house. Instead, he felt compelled to walk toward the object, as if under external control. Suddenly overwhelmed by fatigue, he knelt down for a better look. As the object approached, terror struck him—but he couldn't move. He remained paralyzed as darkness enveloped the surrounding forest.
In an instant, Lara found himself transported to "another place." The ground beneath him had changed from dirt to sand, resembling a vast beach or desert. The sky appeared different, creating the sensation of being inside a dome or enclosed structure.
A voice instructed him: "Grab some sand." Following the command, Lara bent down, scooped a handful of sand into his pocket, and then repeated the action when directed to do so again.
Without warning, Lara was back on his property in Paleo, standing near the fountain. The mysterious object had vanished. Checking his watch, he was stunned to discover it was now 2:30 PM—three hours had passed with no memory of what had occurred.
When Lara reached home, fragments of memory returned. He recalled being in that strange place and hearing the voice. Checking his pocket, he discovered it filled with sand—tangible evidence of his extraordinary experience. He carefully preserved this evidence in a clean jar.
Physical Effects and Investigation
For a month following the incident, Lara suffered from sleep disturbances. He eventually contacted UFO investigator Gomez Sereno, who arranged for scientific analysis of the sand at the Institute of Material Science in Sevilla.
Initial examination suggested the sand might be from a local beach, but further investigation revealed:
The sand had no relation to any beaches in Cadiz
It came from an area almost completely devoid of pollen
Analysis by Dr. Walter Mack, a microbiologist from the University of California, determined the sand originated from an area near J.J. O'Haven in northern Canada, approximately 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle
What makes this case particularly unusual is that Lara was allowed to retain both evidence of his experience and partial memory of it. Most similar encounters involve complete memory loss or evidence removal. In this case, he specifically remembered the portion that would help him understand the significance of the sand in his pocket—clearly by design.
The case was documented by researcher J.J. Benetez in his book "MS Primos." Florencio Ruiz Lara passed away on July 14, 2021. The current whereabouts of the sand sample remain unknown.
Immediate Impact and Finding
Florencio Ruiz Lara, known professionally as Flores El Getatano, was a successful flamenco singer in Spain during the late 1970s. At age 57, his life took an extraordinary turn on September 6, 1978. While tending to his vegetable garden in Paleo, Cadiz around 11:00 AM, Lara noticed an intensely bright light in the sky that resembled a welder's torch.
The object, approximately the size of a steering wheel, hovered about 20 meters above nearby trees. It had a grayish ring of light with a luminous center point. Despite feeling increasingly nervous, Lara found himself unable to retreat to his house. Instead, he inexplicably walked toward the object as if under external control.
Overcome with fatigue, he knelt down for a better view. As the object approached, Lara became paralyzed with fear. He remained conscious but completely immobilized. The surrounding forest darkened significantly, and Lara's vision went black.
When his awareness returned, Lara found himself in an unfamiliar location. The ground beneath him resembled sand rather than the dirt typical of Paleo. He felt isolated, as if under a massive dome structure. A voice instructed him to "grab some sand," which he did twice, placing the material in his pocket.
In an instant, Lara found himself back on his property in Paleo. The luminous object had vanished. Disoriented and exhausted, he gathered his overflowing water jar and returned home. Upon checking the time, he was shocked to discover it was 2:30 PM—three hours had somehow elapsed.
His memory of the experience was fragmentary, but he clearly recalled being taken elsewhere and collecting sand. Checking his pocket, he found it filled with the foreign material. Lara carefully transferred the sand to a clean jar, recognizing its importance as evidence of his inexplicable experience.
For a month afterward, Lara suffered from sleep disturbances. He eventually contacted UFO investigator Gomez Sereno, who arranged for scientific analysis of the sand. The Institute of Material Science in Sevilla determined it didn't match any beaches in the Cadiz region. Additional examination revealed the sand came from an area almost completely devoid of pollen.
Dr. Walter Mack, a microbiologist from the University of California, established that the sand originated from northern Canada—specifically an area approximately 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle near J.J. O'Haven. This finding suggested Lara had somehow been transported over 7,000 kilometers in the span of three hours.
Notably, Lara could only recall the portion of his experience that would help him understand the significance of the sand—no other details from the missing time were accessible to him. This selective memory appeared deliberate, as if carefully curated by whoever or whatever was responsible for his experience.
Researcher J.J. Benetez documented Lara's case in his book "Ms Primos." Florencio Ruiz Lara passed away on July 14, 2021, and the current whereabouts of the sand sample remain unknown.
The Investigation and Analysis
The unexplainable incident involving Florencio Ruiz Lara, a renowned flamenco singer in Spain, occurred on September 6, 1978. At approximately 11 AM, while tending to his garden in Paleo, Cadiz, the 57-year-old witnessed an unusual luminous object hovering in the sky. The object, described as being similar in size to a steering wheel, emitted an intense bright light surrounded by a grayish ring.
Lara reported feeling an inexplicable compulsion to approach the object despite his growing anxiety. As he neared it, he experienced sudden fatigue and knelt down, noticing the light expanding in size. In what appeared to be moments later, Lara found himself in an entirely different location with sand-like ground beneath his feet.
The Evidence Collection
In this unknown location, Lara heard a disembodied voice instructing him to "grab some sand." He complied, placing a handful in his pocket. The voice repeated the instruction, and Lara collected a second sample. Instantaneously, he returned to his property in Paleo, standing near the fountain where he had been earlier.
Upon checking the time, Lara discovered that three hours had elapsed, though he had no recollection of most of this period. The only memories that remained were:
The initial sighting of the object
Being transported to the sand-covered location
Collecting samples at the voice's command
The sand from his pocket became crucial physical evidence of his experience, which he carefully preserved in a clean jar.
Scientific Analysis Results
The sand underwent multiple expert examinations:
Initial analysis by the Institute of Material Science in Sevilla
Further testing under researcher J.J. Benetez
Examination by Dr. Walter Mack, microbiologist from the University of California
The findings revealed remarkable information:
Analysis Point Result Origin Not from beaches near Cadiz Pollen content Nearly none (extremely unusual) Matched location Northern Canada, approx. 200km north of Arctic Circle
These scientific results suggested that Lara had somehow been transported from Spain to the Arctic region of Canada during his missing time experience.
What makes this case particularly unusual is the apparent intention to provide Lara with evidence. Unlike typical encounter reports where memories and evidence are obscured, Lara was left with specific recall of obtaining the sand samples and the physical evidence itself. The selective nature of his memories suggests deliberate control over what information he retained.
Following the incident, Lara experienced sleep disturbances for approximately a month. He passed away on July 14, 2021, with the current whereabouts of the sand samples remaining unknown.
Implications of the Event
The Florencio Ruiz Lara incident raises profound questions about unexplained phenomena. This former flamenco singer's 1978 encounter involved not just a sighting, but physical evidence that challenges conventional explanations. The sand analysis revealing Arctic Circle origins represents one of the rare cases where material proof accompanied an alleged transportation event.
The selective memory pattern displayed in Lara's case appears deliberate rather than random. He remembered only specific portions of his three-hour experience—precisely the parts necessary to understand the significance of the sand in his pocket. This suggests an intentional memory manipulation rather than simple amnesia.
The parallels between Lara's case and Colonel Domingo Romero Sanchez's 1980 Venezuelan military incident are striking. Both involve apparent transportation to distant locations under mysterious circumstances. These cases challenge our understanding of physical space and human perception.
Scientific analysis of the sand provides compelling support for Lara's account. Multiple researchers, including Dr. Walter Mack from the University of California, confirmed the sand's unusual properties. The sample contained virtually no pollen and matched sand from an area approximately 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle—thousands of miles from Spain.
Unlike many reported encounters where evidence is deliberately hidden, Lara's experience seems designed to provide proof. The voice specifically instructed him to collect sand samples, ensuring he would have tangible evidence of his experience. This reversal of the typical pattern of concealment deserves particular attention.
The psychological impact on Lara was significant. His month-long sleep disturbances following the incident suggest profound psychological effects beyond mere curiosity. These after-effects are consistent with traumatic experiences reported by others who claim similar encounters.
J.J. Benitez's Investigation
J.J. Benitez, a prominent researcher in unexplained phenomena, became involved in Florencio Ruiz Lara's case through his connection with fellow investigator Gomez Sereno. When the mysterious sand collected by Lara during his apparent teleportation experience was analyzed at the Institute of Material Science in Sevilla, Benitez learned of the preliminary findings.
The scientific analysis proved particularly intriguing. Initial speculation suggested the sand might have originated from a local beach in the Cadiz area. However, further examination revealed no match to any coastal sand in the region.
More comprehensive testing uncovered two remarkable facts:
The sand contained almost no pollen particles
Such characteristics pointed to polar origins
Walter and Mack, a microbiologist from the University of California, later confirmed these findings. His analysis pinpointed the likely source as northern Canada—approximately 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle near J.J. O'Haven.
Benitez documented this extraordinary case in his book "MS Primos." His research interests extended beyond Lara's experience. In March 1980, he investigated another similar incident involving Venezuelan National Guard Colonel Domingo Romero Sanchez and approximately 80 military personnel who encountered tall, blonde strangers in white coveralls while conducting jungle survival training near the Brazilian frontier.
The Lara case remains significant in Benitez's work as it featured tangible evidence of possible interdimensional or extraterrestrial contact—precisely the type of physical proof often missing from similar accounts.
Similar Events to Strange Encounters
The case of Florencio Ruiz Lara is not unique in the annals of mysterious encounters. Other incidents share striking parallels with his experience.
One notable comparable case occurred in March 1980 involving Colonel Domingo Romero Sanchez of the Venezuelan National Guard. While leading approximately 80 military personnel on a survival training exercise near the Brazilian border, Sanchez and his group encountered eight unusual individuals in the forest.
These strangers had distinctive features: tall stature (around 6.5 feet), blonde hair, blue eyes, and wore white tight-fitting coveralls. The military group observed these individuals apparently collecting butterflies, insects, leaves, roots, and branches. When approached and questioned, their leader responded in Spanish, identifying them as scientists.
Key similarities between these cases:
Unexpected encounters in isolated natural settings
Interactions with mysterious entities
Time anomalies or missing time
Evidence or observations that couldn't be easily explained
What makes these cases particularly intriguing is the element of physical evidence. In Lara's case, the sand analysis revealed its origin from a location thousands of miles away in northern Canada, approximately 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle.
The scientific examination of Lara's sand sample was conducted by multiple experts, including a microbiologist from the University of California and researchers at the Institute of Material Science in Sevilla. Their findings confirmed the impossibility of the sand originating from beaches near Lara's home in Cadiz, Spain.
Both incidents have been documented by researchers specializing in unexplained phenomena. J.J. Benetez included Lara's experience in his published work, preserving the account for further study by those interested in such extraordinary claims.
Military Encounter with Strange Individuals
In March 1980, Colonel Domingo Romero Sanchez of the Venezuelan National Guard led a survival training exercise in a jungle region near the Brazilian border. Approximately 80 personnel from various military branches participated in this training, which involved a planned 80-kilometer march from Santa Elena de Rain to Ikebura.
The group was fully equipped with standard military gear—tents, clothing, food rations, navigation tools, and radio equipment operating on military frequencies. A doctor and assistant accompanied the team for medical support. They began their journey at approximately 8:00 AM, expecting a routine training exercise.
About two hours into their march, the military group encountered eight unusual men standing in the forest. These individuals wore white tight-fitting coveralls and possessed distinctive physical characteristics: they were exceptionally tall (around 6.5 feet), with blue eyes and blonde hair. Colonel Sanchez later described them as "incredibly handsome."
The military personnel surrounded these strangers while Sanchez approached them directly. He greeted them with "good morning," to which they responded in unison. When questioned about their identity and activities, the group initially remained silent.
The soldiers observed that these individuals appeared to be collecting specimens. They had containers with separated insects, particularly butterflies, and had gathered various plant materials including leaves, roots, and branches. Eventually, the apparent leader of the group addressed Colonel Sanchez in Spanish, identifying themselves as scientists.
This encounter bears interesting similarities to the earlier case of Florencio Ruiz Lara, a Spanish flamenco singer who in 1978 reported being temporarily transported to a mysterious location where he collected sand samples that later analysis indicated originated from the Canadian Arctic.
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Florencio Ruiz Lara's Legacy
Florencio Ruiz Lara, known professionally as Flores El Getatano, achieved considerable fame as a flamenco singer in Spain during the 1970s. His musical career brought him recognition and prosperity, but he would later become known for something far more extraordinary.
On September 6, 1978, at age 57, Lara experienced an event that would remain unexplained throughout his lifetime. While tending to his vegetable garden in Paleo, Cadiz around 11 AM, he noticed an unusual bright light in the sky resembling a welder's torch, surrounded by a grayish ring of light.
The object, approximately the size of a steering wheel, hovered about 20 meters above nearby trees. Despite feeling increasingly nervous, Lara found himself unable to return to his house. Instead, he inexplicably began walking toward the object, as if under external control.
As he approached, Lara suddenly felt overwhelming fatigue and knelt down. The object grew larger, appearing to move toward him. Terror-stricken, he attempted to flee but found himself completely paralyzed.
His surroundings darkened considerably before he found himself transported to what he described as "another place." The ground beneath him changed from dirt to sand, resembling a beach or desert. The sky appeared different, creating a sensation of being inside a dome or enclosed structure.
While in this strange location, Lara heard a voice instructing him to "grab some sand." He complied, placing a handful in his pocket. The voice repeated the command, and Lara gathered a second handful.
In an instant, Lara found himself back on his property in Paleo. The luminous object had vanished. When he checked the time, he was shocked to discover it was now 2:30 PM—three hours had mysteriously passed.
Upon returning home, Lara discovered sand in his pocket and carefully preserved it in a clean jar as evidence of his experience. For a month following the incident, he struggled with sleep disturbances he believed were connected to his unusual experience.
Scientific Analysis of the Evidence
The sand collected by Lara underwent several scientific examinations:
Initial analysis at the Institute of Material Science in Sevilla
Comparison testing against local beach sand from Cadiz
Further examination by Dr. Walter and Mack, a microbiologist from the University of California
The findings were remarkable. The sand contained virtually no pollen, which would be nearly impossible unless it originated from one of Earth's poles. Further analysis indicated the sand likely came from an area approximately 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, near J.J O'Haven in northern Canada.
What makes this case particularly unusual is that Lara was permitted to retain both physical evidence of his experience and specific memories that would help him understand the significance of the sand. The selective nature of his recollections—remembering only the portion that would explain the sand's importance—suggests deliberate control over his memory.
Researcher J.J. Benetez documented Lara's case in his book "Ms Primos." Florencio Ruiz Lara lived until July 14, 2021, though the current whereabouts of the sand samples remain unknown.
