Did the strike effect small towns and cities like Cuenca and Toledo? Were employees of museums and parks etc. striking?

I think the action of piquetes was minimal, and everything was normal. Almost everybody that wanted to work could. I wouldn't say the same for all who wanted to go on strike, as Barry said, lot of people is afraid of loosing their job if they go on strike.
I agree with Barry in the sensation of being in a fairy day, although some shops were opened and some kids went to school.
I think in my neighbourghood there were more shops opened than closed, but in others neighbourghoods it was different.
I also calculated the manifestation of Madrid in 200.000 persons, although the Unions said 500.000 and the police 40.000. It's also the biggest one I have ever been in.

Ahh - the politics of numbers! 500,000 vs. 40,000 is really taking the quagmire a bit too far though. Do the strikers - i.e., the press releases issued from the unions - feel that any of their demands will be met?

I watched them lay siege to El Corte Inglés and then the night before they tried to burn down the Easy everything on Montera. Nice. The Socialist party has lost my vote for being STUPID.

Maybe they will be referees for FIFA!

Asterault, "them" & "they" as you say, represent 100% of the group?? Or maybe just 20-30 crazy persons of the 500,000 which attended the march? This is what someone told me who was at the march to Puerta del Sol in Madrid, that the media blew out of proportion the damage done by a "few bad apples" in order to destroy support in the eyes of the public. It's kind of like the difference in reports of 40,000 and 500,000 (or whatever the numbers).

Mmmm, I think your comments are very interesting MM. I am really bored about the general strike, no for and no against (I think that there are reasons for complaining, but paralizing a country is too much).

Why do you think the media would want to destroy support to the strikers?

I'm not saying it is not possible. But, how do you see it from a neutral point of view?

Fernando

I have to agree with Fernando once again here, the whole "strike thing" has just been boring and, in my view, all about manipulation. Only former president Felipe Gonzalez(a socialist) being graceful enough to speak out sort of against the strike meant a bit of "fresh air".
Over all I'll admit I'm not the best person to give her opinion on the strike since I just have no clue what went on that day! I lived a day of "Japanese-style stike" so to speak, working like mad from 9 to 20:30hrs., only stopping for a 45mns. lunch break (my regular hours should be 9 to 18hrs. with a two-hour lunch break), besides, I was really sorry to miss lunch with Chica/Becky!
Other than that, I decided to "move" to my parents for a couple of nights to be able to walk to the office, just in case I would find any transportation problems....I really didn't know what to expect since during the one in 1988 I was a happy exchange student in Ohio!

I hope Aznar and his administration holds its ground! In order for Spain to come into the modern world, they must keep up their progress towards a real hard working economy (unless they discover oil or something).

Another bitter but true Spanish reality. I look forward to sweeter SPANISH production of SPANISH high end goods that will help Spain take its place in the world (non-eu) economy.

"a little humility will bring a lot of pride"