Tenerife Carnaval: Piñata Weekend

Shrove Tuesday might have been the "end" of carnival in the strictly religious sense, but Tenerife Carnaval isn't over yet ... by a long way as the party is still going strong this weekend in both Santa Cruz and Puerto de la Cruz.

Mascarita, Ponte Tacón

Tonight from 8.30 p.m. in the Plaza del Charco in Puerto de la Cruz, the now infamous Mascarita Ponte el Tacón or Men's Marathon in High Heels   (more photos here) is taking place, which we're told has now reached it's 15th annual edition. Some 200 fools in unconvincing drag will attempt to get their leg over obstacles in high heels   (this image will help you visualize the spectacle), as the public looks on bemused mostly, I imagine. There are prizes too - not unlike in Canine Agility Championships - for the fastest, the most tenacious and so on ...

The main parade of Carnaval in Puerto de la Cruz (see photos from 2008) takes place on Saturday, February 28th, starting at 4 p.m. (ish.)

Sábado de Piñata - Carnaval de día

Sábado de Piñata (Saturday), in Santa Cruz the most important Carnaval de Día (Daytime Carnaval) in the world will be taking place, according to Radiotelevisión Canaria.

It might be because it's the only designated daytime carnival in the world - we haven't checked - but nevertheless an afternoon full of spectacular shows (see program) can be expected in the Plazas del Príncipe, La Candelaria, Europa and Weyler. The biggest act English speakers will recognize is Craig David. As a finale at around 4 p.m., there'll be the biggest exhibition of sound fireworks ever to have taken place on the islands.

This noisy celebration that was baptised "gran traca" when it appeared for the first time in Tenerife last year, is like the mascletas (bang fests) of Valencia.

Coso Infantil

Although the live music and fireworks extravaganza of daytime Carnaval is what's being promoted most about the final weekend of carnival in Santa Cruz these days, there are other, more traditional, events taking place.

One I highly recommend is the Coso Infantil - Children's Carnaval Parade - from 6 p.m. on Saturday, February 28th. It's just like the big parade, but with  added CuteOverload. Well, I mean, just look at these little elephants! Could you resist hundreds of small people dressed like this? Of course not! The route is Calle Numancia, Pilar, Villalba Hervás to the Plaza de La Candelaria.

Concurso de coches antiguos

On Sunday morning, is the XXXVIII Gran Concurso en la Ciudad de Automóviles Antiguos (I make that the 38th edition of this gathering of Classic Cars), which meets at the Parque García Sanabria (see map) at 10 a.m.

Then at mid-day, the cars will leave from the Parque García Sanabria to make a circuit of the city, passing through the streets of Numancia, Pilar, Plaza del Príncipe, Villalba Hervás, La Marina, Avenidas de Anaga and Marítima, ending in the car park of the Club Náutico de Tenerife (see map).

Activities for Carnaval Tuesday in Tenerife

Carnaval Tuesday, the big day in Santa Cruz and the weather was relatively kind for the Coso Apoteosis - the Main Parade - which took place in the afternoon under a dull, but thankfully dry sky, given that a pre-alert is in place for possible rain throughout the Canary Islands.

If you've missed it, the Main Carnaval Parade will take place in Santa Cruz on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010.

In La Orotava, in the morning, the XXXVII (I make that 37th) Rally of Classic Cars took place, which later went on display in Puerto de la Cruz.

Meanwhile, at 9.30 p.m. in Puerto de la Cruz, there's the Gala Trans-gresora 2009, which has nothing to do with transgressions and everything to do with cross-dressing. Mind you, I thought Carnaval was ALL about cross-dressing.

And as Tenerife Matters say here, "Expect a lot of fun, a lot of bitchin and a soundtrack which will probably include 'It's Raining Men', 'I Will Survive' and 'I Am What I Am'." (Or Yo Viviré, which is 'I Will Survive', in Spanish, sung by Celia Cruz and I'll just mention it because it's better than the original. :)

When the Passion carries just a little too far

Like Diamond Geezer, I don't want to "sound like a grumpy Mail reader", but some behaviours just don't belong in public places - and not in church - whatever cultural excuse.

Police were called Saturday, when a "devilish apparition entered and took over the temple"; the church of La Concepción in La Laguna.

This apparition, says the report, took the shape of two youths located at the back of the church, who, while mass was being celebrated, began caressing and touching their genitals. The congregation got most upset when the two began showing each other their "sexual attributes", with not a stitch on to cover them.

Their obvious sounds of heavy breathing had managed to stop the service.

Parishioners were scandalized and the curate was at the point of suffering an attack of hysteria (in the medical, not comical, sense) and the whole thing almost ended in a lynching. The two were arrested and charged with public indecency.

Carnaval Monday capers in Tenerife

Telling you what's going down on Carnaval Monday in Tenerife province - i.e. today - can surely only serve one purpose - to whet your appetite for future years - unless you're already on the islands and at a loss for something to do, in which case, you might like to consider any of the following ...

Día de los Indianos in La Palma

Hop over to the island of La Palma and rub shoulders with folk who travel all the way from South America to join this celebration, the biggest day of the Carnaval in Santa Cruz de La Palma - held every year on Carnaval Monday, i.e. the day before Shrove Tuesday - the Día de los Indianos.

Which as Sheila in La Palma explains, celebrates the return of Palmerans who had left the island in search of a better life in the Caribbean and, later returned from Cuba (hence the typical style of white clothing), stinking rich. And, she says, "If you dress up and join the parade, the town hall will provide talc."

Isla de La Palma Guide also have details on the celebrations here, there are more Indianos  here, here and here and the fact that AFP/Getty Images have several here, here, here and here, gives you some idea of the importance.

If you can't make it this year, don the clothes you bought for the last White Party, put on some Cuban music, fix yourself a mojito - maybe just the latter would do!

In a previous post here we showed you the official promotional video for the fiesta, as well as the recipe for the authentic mojito, direct from the cocktail's birthplace, the La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana, Cuba.

Dance Carnaval Santa Cruz

Meanwhile, tonight in Santa Cruz de Tenerife - in the Plaza de La Candelaria from 9 p.m. - is the FREE, seven hour long open-air disco spectacular, Dance Carnaval Santa Cruz, with, Real el Canario (pictured), along with four iconic US acts; DJ Craze, Ron Carroll, Armand Van Helden and Roger Sánchez.

Carnaval Parade in La Laguna

Meanwhile, if you're searching for a carnaval parade to watch and can't wait until tomorrow, La Laguna has brought back - after many years of absence - it's Carnaval Cavalcade, today, February 23rd, Carnaval Monday, around the historic centre of the town, starting from the church of La Concepción at 5 p.m.

Between midnight and 2 a.m. tonight, the Bulan Restaurante Chill-Out are giving away free beer.

Anti-crisis menus in Tenerife

In the resorts, no doubt, there are all sorts of discounts on the Full English Breakfasts and Roast Chicken dinners, but if you're reading this blog, I will assume (maybe foolishly) that you're up for trying some of the local food when you're abroad - something that's no longer quite as laughingly cheap as it used to be.

So, if you want something that fills you up and doesn't cost a fortune today, look out for the various offers available, such as this "M€NU anticrisis", which surely requires no translation, at a typical roadside bar / restaurant.

You'll find these modest establishments all over Tenerife, where workers go for lunch and where filling, home-style cooking is served at reasonable prices. Eating here is more like getting an invite to someone's home.

This one is at the restaurant La Viña, on the main road between Tacoronte and the Valle de Guerra and, says the big banner hanging out front of their establishment, they're offering a hearty menu of lentejas (Canarian lentil stew) to start, followed by bistec con papas fritas (steak and chips), bread and a cuarta de vino (a quarter of a litre / 'bout half a pint) of wine, all for a mere 8 Euros, which as we know, these days works out to just a whisker under 8 quid.

We suggest that you WALK from Tacoronte to the Valle de Guerra, in order to work that lot off, not to mention not driving after the half-pint of wine!

Similarly, Lo Que Pasa en Tenerife report on Desayunos anticrisis (Anti-crisis breakfasts), where a dulce (sweet - I assume some sort of pastry: the local answer to a Danish) and a coffee are being served for just 1 Euro / 1 Pound ish.

If you've found any of these bargain menus being offered in Tenerife, especially if they're somewhat off the beaten track so that readers can enjoy some alternative scenery, whilst we can drive some traffic towards family businesses that must surely be feeling the pinch, let us know and send us your photos of the restaurants, the meals you ate or the surrounding countryside.

NB: For those of you who really can't afford to go out, or sadly aren't anywhere near Tenerife, try watching this video from the blogs at newspaper, Canarias7, Entremesas: Gastronomía y Rock&Roll, showing you how to cook Lentejas Sinatra (My Way). It's simple, cheap, filling and healthy - we know, because we've been cooking that way already at Secret Tenerife Towers for years!

Puerto de La Cruz finally has a Carnaval Queen

Last night, after two rainy setbacks, the weather gods decided to give Puerto de la Cruz’ Carnaval a break and the stars shone down from a clear sky on the grand Gala to elect this year’s Carnaval Queen.

The deserving winner was the delightful Elsa Eichner representing Casino Taoro in her costume (more like work of art) Gota a gota.

Mederso Martin was crowned first dame of honour with Naira Rodríguez, Desiré Regalado and Katia Rodríguez being chosen second, third and fourth dames of honour respectively.

The firework display which announced the crowning of the Carnaval Queen was also the signal for the band to start tuning up in Plaza Charco and for the DJs in the dances area to power up their sound systems as the surreal milling throng of smurfs, vampires, pirates, witches, etc., were able to finally start to celebrate Carnaval 2009 in earnest.

Jack Montgomery, co-author of Going Native in Tenerife and Real Tenerife Island Drives, was reporting direct from Puerto de la Cruz, where dedication to duty (or something) kept them out at this event until 5 a.m., apparently.

The lost city of Atlantis in Tenerife

A news report today says hopes that the lost city of Atlantis had been found 600 miles west of the Canary Islands on Google Earth have been shattered. Let's face it, it doesn't take much to shatter a theory that appears in The Sun does it? :)

But I do think the hope-dashers are being somewhat hasty ...

Never mind "proof" that Tenerife has long been associated with the Atlantis myth, The Sun were probably taking as evidence the fact that the theme for Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1994 was La Atlántida (Atlantis).

The bloke with the BBQ fork and a liking for a Rare Blend of Whiskey, we must deduce is Poseidon, who we know was bequeathed this legendary island. And there's a striking resemblance in the volcano to the rear of the scenery too and yet still, Tenerife appears not to have grasped the implications of the story that Atlantis sank into the ocean "in a single day and night of misfortune".

(We go for News in the Sun's (not to be confused with the right-wing British tabloid) theory on the misfortune that "alien visitors stopped coming when the inter-planetary space pound lost a third of it's value against the Euro.")

Here are more photos from Carnaval in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1994

Revised 2009 Carnaval schedule in Puerto de la Cruz

Puerto de la Cruz Carnaval suffered an early change to the published program yesterday, when their Gala for the selection of the Carnaval Queen, usually held on the Thursday night, had to be postponed due to bad weather. The Gala should now be taking place tonight, Friday, February 20th, but I guess that again, it depends on the rain.

The revised 2009 program (the main events anyway) is as follows:

• Friday, 20th February: Gala for the Election of the 2009 Carnival Queen
• Saturday, 21st February: Proclamatory Parade
• Wednesday, 25th February: Funeral of the Sardine
• Friday, 27th February: Men's Marathon in High Heels
• Saturday, 28th February: Coso - Main Parade (4 pm)

In addition to those, starting from tonight, each and every night until Saturday, February 28th, inclusive (except Thursday), there's a Gran Baile (dance) in the Plaza del Charco, Calle La Marina and Calle Perdomo, from 10 p.m. onwards.

We managed to see some of the Coso, Carnaval Parade in Puerto de la Cruz last year and the weather was doing funny stuff then too. Andrea Montgomery writes about her and Jack's experiences at Carnaval in Puerto de la Cruz here.

For future planning purposes, the dates of Carnaval in Puerto de la Cruz are one of the very rare examples in Tenerife that - barring disturbances for the weather and other things beyond the control of mere mortals - follows a regular and predictable pattern.

Normally kicking off on the Thursday before Shrove Tuesday, the Burial of the Sardine is on the correct day, Ash Wednesday and Carnaval celebrations come to a climax with the main parade on the Saturday after Shrove Tuesday.

However, Andrea Montgomery says that the high heels drag obstacle race is rapidly becoming the favourite Carnaval event in Puerto and is always worth seeing. She also says that it's outrageously politically incorrect and, since correctness is so way out of hand, take that as a recommendation!

The Free as in beer way to beat the crisis

On Carnaval Monday, February 23rd, 2009, the Bulan Restaurante Chill-Out, C/ Antonio Domínguez Alfonso (La Noria) No 35, 38003 Santa Cruz De Tenerife. (Tel: 922 274 116) are having a Fiesta de la Cerveza (Beer Festival) and from midnight to 2 a.m. they'll be having free beer to give the crisis a kick up the bum.   See map.

Los Cristianos Carnival: moveable feast or moving target?

Shrove Tuesday *	Main Parade	Days +
8 Feb 05	20 Feb 05	12
28 Feb 06	12 Mar 06	12
20 Feb 07	4 Mar 07	12
5 Feb 08	17 Feb 08	12
24 Feb 09	15 Mar 09	19

* Source: Mardi Gras Dates--Past and Future Oh, I did so want to come up with a "magic formula" for calculating the dates of carnaval in Los Cristianos - after all the occasional tourist might drop into the area (~ 3 million a year) and one or two might actually enjoy going to see its annual carnaval.

More would, I'm sure, but for that to happen, a bit of advance notice would be handy, you know, because people need to give employers notice to book time off from their jobs, therefore they need to book their flights, hotels or holidays, months in advance ...

And failing some advance publicity (and we don't mean just posters inside the town, "preaching to the choir"), maybe stick to a regular schedule?

Nah, frustratingly, Arona has never heard of these alien concepts.

After translating the program for a reader the other day, I thought I'd go through the archives to see if a pattern would emerge that would allow us to say "take the date of XYZ and add XX days ..." to arrive at a method for people to predict when these fiestas would take place each year. I thought it did, but it doesn't work.

Taking the dates of Shrove Tuesday (the most reliable and verifiable point in the Carnaval calendar) and the dates of the main parade of Los Cristianos carnaval (which is the event that is probably of most interest to spectators) over the last few years - those few I could find online - plus the date listed in this year's program, I plotted how many days there were between the two dates.

As you can see from the table above, usually, the Los Cristianos carnaval main parade happens 12 days after Shrove Tuesday, i.e. the second Sunday after "Pancake Day" for those who've forgotten what Shrove is about elsewhere.

And then they go and muck things up, because this year it's all happening a week later, with the main parade 19 days after Shrove Tuesday instead.

The good news is that the basic format for the core 5 days of the Los Cristianos carnaval did not seem to vary in all of those years, being:

• Thursday. Gala election of the Junior Carnaval Queen.
• Friday. Carnival Ball for the Senior Citizens and Grand Gala election of the Carnaval Queen.
• Saturday. Carnaval Ball.
• Sunday 5 p.m. ish. Gran Coso Apoteósico del Carnaval (The Main Parade)
• Monday. Burial of the Sardine, followed by the Widow's Ball.

And our recollection is that this has been the case for many more years too.

Some of the events leading up to it; the presentation of the candidates, opening parades, etc., which this year are happening on the weekend before the core events of carnaval, have previously been held mid-week. It's that difference, clearly, that is pushing it all onward 7 days. The trouble is that one cannot predict whether future years will be organized in the way it's being done this year, whether they will revert to the old way, or something else.

Planning ahead: Certainly, Los Cristianos carnaval main parade should not happen earlier than the 12 days after Shrove Tuesday, because their carnaval cannot start until Santa Cruz finishes and releases the fairground rides.

If you plan to be there for that date and book for a fortnight, you'd still be around if it is all moved onwards a week. Watch our news or check with Arona town hall nearer to the date each year to be absolutely sure, but know that this will almost always be too late to plan, unless you take a chance on last minute availability.

Better yet, write to Arona town hall (in English) and suggest that they "get with the program" so that you, as a visitor (after all, you are supposed to be important to them) can get information in time, or count on a regular enough schedule to be able to plan and book your holidays in advance to enjoy their carnaval.

No, seriously, we don't need to rant and whine at them (though it's tempting), but the more people who point out the defficiencies, the sooner the penny will drop that a bit of simple information can positively impact falling tourist numers.

Photo: raymondo182

Carnaval Queen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2009

The United States has its first black President and now Santa Cruz de Tenerife, has elected its first black Carnaval Queen. The 18 year old Ana María Tavárez Mata, representing newspaper El Día, with a costume entitled Embrujada (Bewitched) designed by Leo Martínez, was chosen from among the 18 candidates in last nights almost 3 hour long gala.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Carnaval Queen 1994

With this year's Gala for the Election of the Carnaval Queen in Santa Cruz happening as we speak, how about a blast back to a Carnaval Queen of the past - from the year 1994.

Mª Candelaria Rodríguez Pacheco, then 20 years old, won with a costume entitled "Diva" and designed by Marcos Marrero, in representation of (patronised by, in other words) all the gaming casinos on the island.

This old image is one of several I had knocking around from back in the days when cameras has film in them - do you remember that?

What I couldn't remember was which image was of the queen, or those of her attendants, or even what year it was.

Heck, I managed to remember that it was in Santa Cruz. That's something!

Anyway, just by chance the other day, I found this video at YouTube, which clearly shows this same girl in this costume, who was the Reina del Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife 1994 (Carnaval Queen of Santa Cruz 1994.)

That was a significant year, as the commentary reminds us, as it was also the year of the 500th Anniversary of the founding of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1494.

Playa de Los Cristianos

The word playa in Spanish, as you may or may not know, simply means beach, but in the case of Playa de las Américas (literally, Beach of the Americas) it refers to the whole resort town. In the case of Playa de Los Cristianos, it is again being used to refer to not just the sandy bit next to the boats, but to the whole town that once was a simple sleepy little seaside village and ye olde fishing port.

My how things have changed in Los Cristianos.

Who would have thought that Playa de Los Cristianos would have it's own folk song, composed by Fernando Estévez, dedicated to it, speaking of this rinconcito marinero (little fishing corner) and gente pescadora (fisherpersons).

What caught my eye were   the images that accompany the song in this video, which are just as quaint, many in black & white and hail from days long gone. In particular, I did a double-take when I saw the twin towers of the Torres del Sol, taken from the Los Cristianos side, with a great expanse of emptiness on the peninsular behind them.

That bit today is the burgeoning resort area of Playa de las Américas.

Even more surprising is that postcards as short a time ago as the 1970's show it in that state. It really should make one stop and think what one's demand for a tourist mecca in Tenerife has done to this little corner of the island in a mere 30 years.

More to the point, is what we can avoid doing to the rest of it.

Program for Los Cristianos Carnaval 2009

Hallelujah! In the nick of time, with just a few days to go, finally, we can give you details of the program of events for the Los Cristianos Carnaval 2009. Here goes:

Friday, March 6th, 2009. 20:00 hours. Events kick off with the Presentation of the Candidates for the Carnaval Queen at Los Cristianos Cultural Center.

Saturday, March 7th, 2009. 19:00 hours. Cabalgata Anunciadora (Opening Parade) along the Avenida Rafael Puig in Playa de las Américas, from the Avenida Francisco Andrade Fumero (near the entrance of the Hotel Conquistador) to the  C.C. Gala Shopping Center. It terminates with a "gran batucada" (incessant drumming) from all participating groups.

Thursday, March 12th, 2009. 20:30 hours. Gala election of the Junior Carnaval Queen in the Fair's Enclosure (in front of the   Valdés Center.)

Friday, March 13th, 2009. 18:30 hours. Carnival Ball for the Senior Citizens in the Los Cristianos Cultural Center. 21:00 hours. Grand Gala election of the Carnaval Queen in the Fair's Enclosure (in front of the   Valdés Center.)

Saturday, March 14th, 2009. 19:00 hours. Carnaval Parade around various areas of Los Cristianos. 23:00 hours. Carnaval Ball with the orchestra, Sensación Gomera in the Fair's Enclosure (in front of the   Valdés Center.)

Sunday, March 15th, 2009. 17:00 hours. Gran Coso Apoteósico del Carnaval (The Main Parade of Carnival), with a parade of all the carnival groups, Queens, etc., from   Aptos. Paloma Beach, via the Avenida Juan Carlos I, to terminate in the Fair's Enclosure (in front of the   Valdés Center.) At the end of the parade: Carnival Dance with Orchestra Wamampy in the Fair's Enclosure.

Monday, March 16th, 2009. 20:00 hours. Burial of the Sardine parade, leaving from the Los Cristianos Cultural Center, to the Los Cristianos beach. This is usually followed by the Widow's Ball in the Fair's Enclosure (in front of the   Valdés Center.)

In addition there's the fun fair, fireworks, stalls and lots of yummy street food to be enjoyed, so while carnival is on you can just go for an evening stroll amongst the stalls and funfair rides.

Slideshow of Los Cristianos Carnaval images | More Carnival photos

Frankly, it's absolutely sinful that a carnival anywhere, but especially one with such huge tourist potential as in Los Cristianos is kept so "secret".

NB: Please do not trust the plethora of sites I keep coming across who insist that a carnival cabalgata is "a parade with horses," because they've obviously never seen one. They probably haven't even been to Tenerife! Alright, maybe that's what the term cabalgata (cavalcade) meant in history and you might assume some link with the word caballería (cavalry) as soldiers who fought mounted on horseback, but in Tenerife carnival terms it just means a big parade, of people, floats ... Maybe the odd horse gets into the general melee, but not as a rule.

Photo: by baob555555

El Carnaval ya llego (Carnaval has arrived)

This week, Carnaval arrives proper in Tenerife. Today, Wednesday, February 18th, 2009 sees the huge Gala de elección de la Reina del Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife 2009 (Gala for the selection of the Carnaval Queen) and her attendants, held at the Centro Internacional de Ferias y Congresos de Tenerife. Starting at 9.30 p.m. Canary time - same time as the UK, the (usually 3+ hour) gala is to be televised live by Televisión Canaria (RTVC), nationally, internationally and even by internet, as well as via accredited international media, including the Italian national network RAI.

ABC also tell us that a "Túnel del Terror" (needs no translation: carnaval's theme is horror movies) will create atmosphere for the gala. It is a dark passageway, 15 meters in length, to be installed on the terrace of the congress centre.

(If you have another 3 hrs, 5 mins to spare, you can already watch last Friday's gala in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria online at TVE's answer to the iPlayer.)

Before the 2009 Carnaval Queen is crowned, here's a last look at the winner in 2008, Nauzet Celeste Cruz Melo, in a costume depicting Queen Elizabeth I (of England) entitled, "La Edad de Oro" (The Golden Age)   Nauzet Celeste, reina del carnaval de Tenerife, Tenerife ya tiene a su reina del carnaval, Nauzet Celeste Cruz Melo es la nueva Reina del Carnaval de Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

On Thursday, February 19th, Puerto de la Cruz will then select it's Carnaval Queen. On Friday, February, 20th, there will be the Cabalgata Anunciadora (the evening, opening parade) in Santa Cruz. Likewise, on Saturday, February 21st, there's the Cabalgata Anunciadora del Carnaval in Puerto de la Cruz.

Indeed, there'll be carnaval events somewhere on the island for most of the next few weeks, but if Carnaval itself isn't enough for you, the after party, After Carnaval 2009, starts at 5 a.m. each morning at Discoteca Dreams in Santa Cruz,  from Sunday, February 22nd through to Sunday, March 1st.

The miracle of the incorruptibles

On Sunday, 15th of February, from 5 a.m. onwards, the doors of the Santa Catalina convent in La Laguna will be opened for the faithful and the curious to queue around the block for the chance to view the uncorrupted body of Sor María de Jesús (Sister Maria of Jesus) (1643 - 1731), popularly known as La Siervita.

María de León Bello y Delgado was born in El Sauzal on March 23rd, 1643 and entered the convent in February of 1668. She spent a year as a novice, then took up the habit full-time for the rest of her life. Contemporary texts apparently claim that shortly before she died, she "fell into ecstasy", while retaining a pulse for more than 24 hours. In January 1734, she was exhumed and her remains found to be intact, with wet clothes, flexible and a natural colour, it's said.

The luxurious glass-covered coffin she can be seen in was donated by La Laguna born pirate, Amaro Pargo, her friend in life and benefactor of the convent.

However, we learn that the body is located ten meters away from where viewers are able to pass and the lighting isn't too good.  And despite numerous claims, there are no scientifically verified cases of genuine incorruptibility.

But as this post points out, "to be able to spend almost 300 years right next door to La Laguna town hall and still remain "uncorrupted" is a worthy miracle." :)

  Sor María de Jesús (La monja incorrupta de Tenerife)