The fiesta didn't go well

First off; those that didn't arrive early at the paseo de la Castellana in Madrid couldn't get a good view because of all the large flags which people had bought for 10 to 15 euros. Visitors complained that they couldn't see anything because of the "war of flags".

Then when the parade started there were shouts of ¡Za-pa-te-ro, di-mi-sión! as the Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero appeared. Apparently the booing could be heard in the Plaza de Colón which was heavily protected to avoid any problems. It didn't stop until the King, Juan Carlos laid a crown of flowers in recognition of soldiers that had died in Afghanistan and Lebanon. Arsenio Fernández de Mesa, spokesperson for the PP party said that the booing was the crowds response to Zapatero's capacity "to put the finger in the eye to half of the Spaniards".

Spain holds its general election in six months time. If Fridays parade is anything to go by, Zapatero and the PSOE may have a rough ride at the polls. It seems that their left wing policies no longer align with the views of many Spaniards. In particular they have been criticised for not taking a harder line against ETA.

As extranjeras, we have no entitlement to a vote in regional and national elections.