Making Preparations
Rumors had swirled that First Lady Michelle Obama was planning a summer vacation to Spain. And the hotel that had come in for particular scrutiny was the five-star Villa Padierna in Marbella, southern Spain.
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Flying the Flags
And the flags on show (plus the security guard) gave an even better indication that Obama and her party would be in residence. But the trip has not gone without courting some controversy: it's believed that approximately 60 rooms have been booked, with the group using presidential jet Air Force Two at a total cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The White House has maintained it's a private trip with Obama and her friends footing all personal expenses.
Sign Of The Times
A worker removes a banner welcoming the Obama family to Marbella. The First Lady isn't just sticking to the one part of Spain, with some official business coming by meeting the Spanish royal family on the island of Majorca.
Michelle Antoinette?
Arguably the most vitriolic verbal volley that has come Obama's way was from New York Daily News columnist and blogger Andrea Tantaros. She likened the First Lady to French queen Marie Antoinette, who was famously extravagant with her spending. "To be clear," wrote Tantaros, "what the Obamas do with their money is one thing; what they do with ours is another. Transporting and housing the estimated 70 Secret Service agents who will flank the material girl will cost the taxpayers a pretty penny." She added, "Michelle Obama seems more like a modern-day Marie Antoinette ... than an average mother of two."
FLOTUS's Fans
A woman holds a banner that reads 'Welcome to Granada, Michelle Obama' as she waits for the First Lady and her party to visit Granada cathedral. The crowd of several hundred people shouted "Obama!" and "guapa!", or beautiful.
Scenic Setting
Granada's cathedral was ordered built by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella after they recaptured the city from the Moors in 1492. It stands on the site of what had been the area's main mosque and houses the monarchs' remains.
Beat the Heat
Michelle Obama walks through the streets with her daughter Sasha, friends and the Secret Service. Before they toured the cavernous church, they went to a well-known ice cream parlor across the street. Other plans included watching a flamenco performance in the old Sacromonte quarter and a nighttime visit to the Alhambra, which was the seat of Moorish rule in Spain.
Press Pack
Journalists await their arrival at the entrance of the Alhambra in Granada. The five-day visit has been warmly welcomed by Marbella. Indeed, a Spanish public relations company estimated that the Obama visit will generate publicity worth $1 billion and is being covered by over 8,000 media outlets worldwide. And some parts of Spain's media are even analyzing how foreign media are handling the First Lady's trip.
SOURCE: TIME Magazine
