Now let me think....when was the last time that our Trade Unions, had the balls .. and power.. to call a General Strike ?
Nineteen Canteen.. hell for the first time in my life - I was, ( if not preplanned ) involved in a national strike.. exciting times.
The first thing of any real difference, happened the night before, the elevator had a notice tapped on it's skin, it explained that the general strike would cause some distribution, and that they - the hotel ...would endeavor to maintain services.. in French Catalan, and English. Great stuff I thought - as we bade that day farewell.
We had a top floor room.. which offered views to the hills.. these mark the western boundaries of Barcelona, with views sweeping down eastwards to the med. They have a motorway ring road that passes the hotel.. this road has in all Twelve lanes - Six in either direction.. chock a block is a word that springs to mind, ( too many times spent in gridlock on the M8 ) However the hotel was modern.. and the sound insulation thankfully worked, so it wasn't until I drew back the curtains, that I noticed the effect of the strike. The motorway had been miraculously transformed from a fume spitting snake, to that akin of a country lane.. well not quite.. but you catch my drift.