A spokesman for IMF (who wishes to remain anonymous WTF) says the Warner report is not correct. Although a bit contradictory he says the IMF is far to diplomatic to say Spain is insolvent or not

El informe "Fiscal Monitor" del FMI "desde luego" no califica directamente de insolvente a España "porque el FMI es demasiado diplomático para semejante lenguaje.

But don't you find those metal strips in them a bit scratchy?

Quite funny, after the Co Op bank in the UK was down graded to junk
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22477745

More to read about Spain here.
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?Arti...tegoryId=12396

Just wondering, you don't think the IMF spokeswoman is maybe French by chance?
Also the way they dropped the bombshell for Cyprus wasn't expected either. I suppose like most things time will tell. However I have certainly repatriated some of my money (and not to the Co-Op) a few months ago, rather be safe than sorry.

I closed an account I started with Bancaja a couple of years ago last week, I only used it because of the low fees for the type of account we had. As you know it morphed into Bankia and they're putting the screws on for the end of this month. I wonder how many people other have closed their accounts as a result.

I don't! I'm with Bankia. What's this ?

I too have noticed increased charges coming in I bank with Cajamar mind it is a non residents account.

Not possible surely.

Mind you a cheap and foolproof way to recapitalise.

same idea as raising taxes to stimulate the economy

As much as I don't want to think about it, it's probably wise to begin to think about a contingency exit strategy (from the EU).

But where?

Obvious answer for the Brits is to go back to the UK and vote for UKIP.

Ah, but what about the bloody weather you may well ask ?

Spain has remained popular for so long mainly because of it's handy geographical location and half decent weather.

Looking outside the EU now, means a fair bit of travel, extra costs and additional inconvenience for those wishing to stay in touch with Blighty, so fortunately for Spain there are probably no simple or obvious alternatives.

The good thing (for us) is that we have little reason to visit the UK anymore. Haven't lived there in a very long time, only know a few distant friends. relatives.. gone.

... and yes, Spain's weather is great, but there definitely are places with consistently better weather.

So the question remains.. where can go to avoid paying for the actions of a handful of Eurocrats who increasingly enjoy the benefit of authority without accountability?

I've been to Panama, which I like, and is culturally very much like Spain. But I question the long-term stability of all of central America.

It has taken me years to learn Spanish and I'm very familiar with the place and love it, most of the time. I can't think of a suitable alternative either.

I might try and become invisible and I'm reading an old Ken Follett at the moment, he makes it sound so easy. I've cancelled Facebook and Twitter and I'm reading up on solar power and water tanks.

I wish we were back in the olden days when you could open a building society account in the name Donald Duck and nobody would blink an eyelid.

If you have a few accounts in different building society's left over from carpetbagging days etc you can keep opening different ones and then closing the old ones, looks pretty normal behaviour if anyone tracks you down you can say you were chasing marginally better interest rates/terms and conditions. Same with various bank products, not sure how anonymous you want to be though.

I think the Donald Duck thing has long since flown you can only do what you can realistically do, unless you want to invest in a safe or a big mattress.

I want to be as totally legitimate in the UK as I've always been, but if I disappear from the Spanish radar it will save me worrying about all sorts of nasty things happening to this beautiful country as I speak.

I worry about the water tank though, it doesn't sound very hygienic. And what if the satellite dish blows down in the strong winds and I can't use my phone?

And a smelly wood burning stove? I'm a city boy, I'm not used to these rustic delights.

It seems the Telegraph has had a change of heart. It's now "heroic Spain", and if it wasn't for the dasterdly EU, they'd be laughing.
They do point out that the labour economy has become very competitive (companies like Ford, Volkswagen and Renault making major investments), and also that their exports are performing well, despite being linked to the Euro currency.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/c...it-doesnt.html