Michelle & Sasha Obama Visit Bull Ring, Moorish Sites In Ronda (PHOTOS)

From Iain Sullivan, Associated Press:

RONDA, Spain -- U.S. first lady Michelle Obama and daughter Sasha on Saturday visited the picturesque southern city of Ronda, once a favorite haunt of actor-director Orson Welles and author Ernest Hemingway.

Security was tight as Mrs. Obama and 9-year-old Sasha toured Santa Maria, a classic Andalusian-style church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

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Michelle Obama visits the Ronda Bull ring on August 7, 2010 in Ronda, Spain.

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Michelle Obama visits the Ronda Bull ring on August 7, 2010 in Ronda, Spain.

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The group - which included an unknown number of the first lady's friends - had driven into the hilltop city in a motorcade and later stopped for lunch at Del Escudero restaurant, set in a baronial style 19th century villa with typical whitewashed walls and red roof tiles located next to the bullring.

Welles and Hemingway both wrote about Ronda's beauty and colorful bullfighting traditions after living there part-time.

Ronda's population of around 37,000 swells each summer as tourists flock to see its sights, including the oldest-known bullring in Spain.

Hemingway's novel "For Whom the Bell Tolls" depicts the brutality of Spain's 1936-39 civil war and one of its scenes is reputedly based on killings that took place at Ronda's southwestern El Tajo cliffs.

Welles was so taken by Ronda that when he died in 1985 his ashes were scattered in a bullring at the local estate of Antonio Ordonez, one of Spain's most famous bullfighters and also a close friend of Hemingway.

Mrs. Obama visited Casa del Rey Moro and the house of St. John Bosco, both palaces with balconies and terraces overlooking the steep gorge.

Ronda is inland from the coastal resort of Marbella, near where Mrs. Obama is staying as part of a five-day, private visit.

The Obama party is due to attend a charity event hosted by actors Antonio Banderas and Eva Longoria on Saturday night, Marbella newspaper La Tribuna said.

___

Associated Press writer Harold Heckle in Madrid contributed to this report.

Comments

[mediamarv]

01:11 PM on 08/09/2010

In Pic #5 I can see our hotel window, on the right, just above the bridge. The white hotel on the left is a Parador hotel, owned by Spanish government. I recommend visiting this hilltop village and I wish we had spent more than one night there.

[hopefull2008]

10:28 PM on 08/08/2010

It's so nice to have a first family that can visit Spain without running the risk of being arrested for war crimes.

[calltoaction]

08:27 PM on 08/08/2010

btw, how many days are rush, hannity, beck or any of the other right wing fox millionaires spending vacationing in the gulf?

[calltoaction]

08:25 PM on 08/08/2010

according to the right wing mob, the first lady of the united states of america is not allowed to travel to europe.

she should be in the basement sewing an american flag to prove her love for her country but that would not be good enough either.

[MaeScott]

04:49 PM on 08/08/2010

There is a fresh batch of haterade for the haters....because haters gotta hate.
Enjoy your vacation, First Lady and Sasha. With all the vitriol thrown your way 24/7 you have earned it. Yes, haters got hate. It's the american way , just ask Fix News...hating 24/7

[bokknows]

01:45 PM on 08/08/2010

Lets see Michelle takes her daughter to Europe, Bush sends our daughters and sons to a war because he wanted revenge! and Michelle's the insensitive one... please. I'm not that stupid to blame the first lady for decisions our elected leaders make but If you spend as much time praying and hoping rather than doing something more constructive we might take you serious person.

[jazabelz]

10:41 AM on 08/09/2010

Fanned -- just another red herring or smokescreen the Republicans like to use to keep people from thinking about what is really important.

[hotsfwheels]

09:39 AM on 08/08/2010

This is the most insensitive first family in history. I hpoe and pray the american people will remeber the terrible things they are doing and have done since in office. Passing the unpopular health care bill, Giving Miranda rights to foreign terrorist, bungling of the BP spill, the Air force 1 flyover NYC, Calling the Mass patrolman stupid over the idiot Harvard professor, Firing a supporter in the AG dept before They the knew the facts, your involvement with Tony Resco and Blagoiavich, your lies about transparency and bipartisanship, your out of control spending, your seizing of GM, Your ******** primary bond holders at GM and giving the unions disproportionate ownership, your backroom deals for Chrysler, your race based shutdown of GM dealerships, your AIG bailout, your full on attack on the private sector when Americans need jobs, your expansion of the Federal government, your disregard for the Constitution you swore to uphold, your failure to close GITMO and end renditions

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=105456&start=80&tstart=0#ixzz0w1OX958v

[nana4g]

11:39 AM on 08/08/2010

This all sounds so petty, to me, compared to what was left in this country after those 8 years of infamy and disaster. I hope that unpopular healthcare bill serves you well, with the new regulations imposed, and that, in time, you will be able to "tolerate" the fact that you cannot be dropped from coverage when you need it the most; can keep your kids on your plan until age 25yrs, etc, etc. I am sorry the President didn't dive into the depths of the Gulf to cap that gusher but, he had golf sets already scheduled....the rest is fiction.

[palisades02]

01:04 PM on 08/08/2010

your trolling rant continues to remind me of fox.

[PlayTOE]

04:30 AM on 08/08/2010

Too many Americans complain.

When a First Lady vacations she is a goodwill ambassador (unpaid position). Usually her country is proud and recognizes small perks of nice surroundings are a very tiny reward for the effort and hard work.

When the First Lady is Black, too many people joined Limbaugh's false outrage of uppity blacks enjoying stuff only whites deserve. It is racism.

Part of the unreasonable feelings are not racially motivated but purely political bickering. Very unreasonable standards are demanded *(she should pay for her own security's hotel rooms?) as if previous First Ladies were expected to dip into personal funding while they worked at improving the status of their country on an international stage.

Part is pure selfish greed. People do not want to pay despite being well compensated. Outrage at the First Lady shows small minds and pathetic hearts.

Michelle promotes goodwill, shows American fashion, and improves the image of her country. Her unpaid efforts to promote healthy eating and encourage food manufactures to offer nutritionally better choices is significant direct benefit to every American. She gives better value (for security costs etc.) than ANY recent First Lady.

Rush and despicable followers are money pinching $$$holes bent on destroying their country for racial and political motives, and personal greed. I am ashamed of them, and they should be ashamed of themselves.

I am very proud of Michelle Obama and her family in their very successful efforts at improving the name and reputation of America.

[Inanina]

10:31 AM on 08/08/2010

Totally agree. She's representing her country with a lot of class and elegance. Haters are going to hate...

[Anointed2]

12:08 PM on 08/08/2010

Bravo!

[NewYawker]

03:41 PM on 08/08/2010

Bush spent an unprecendented amount of time on vacation --

See "487 Days at Camp David for Bush"
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-4728085-503544.html

[LJIESQ]

08:42 PM on 08/07/2010

Obama takes an occasional vacation, but Bush was always out to lunch. Just an observation.

[2008FedUP]

11:47 PM on 08/07/2010

ALWAYS and remains on that lunch outing!!!!!

[Seattlelite]

07:33 PM on 08/07/2010

Yeah, what a pity the Obama don't have ranches, compounds or a getaway place on Maratha's Vineyard (Bush/Regan/Kenney's/Clintons) they can vacation to.

[shp]

08:14 PM on 08/07/2010

Well, maybe if they didn't spend a couple of grand per night for a hotel room they could.

[LJIESQ]

08:43 PM on 08/07/2010

You think the POTUS should stay at Motel 6?

[LJIESQ]

12:28 AM on 08/09/2010

Yes, that was English. I'm just a lousy typist. So sue me.

[maiali]

03:50 PM on 08/07/2010

Who started this "40 friends" rumour? According to Lynn Sweet, the East Wing confirmed that the FLOTUS is traveling with two close female friends and four of their daughters.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/08/michelle_obama_spain_trip_what.html

[Bankerrkt]

01:22 PM on 08/07/2010

The people that I know (that are fortunate enough to still have a job) can't even dream of this kind of opulent lifestyle. They're doing all they can just to pay their mortgage and their bills. Then taxes takes away any surplus that they might manageto have left over. Our President and First Lady are out of touch. If they're going to irresponsibly blow tax payer money, at least do it in the USA.

[1088]

01:25 PM on 08/07/2010

They have been on holidays in the USA and you still have complained! The Obama are guilty of being black while in the White House. Where where you when the Laura Bush took her overseas holidays?

[Pema]

05:59 PM on 08/07/2010

1088... has he posted racist stuff in the past? it seems some of the other posters seem to think so but from this post i just dont see it.

[Scott1560]

06:12 PM on 08/07/2010

Where were you when Laura Bush was unfairly slammed, a typical attempt of the left to pander to the LCD? Dishware?

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2010/08/06/abc-hypes-michelle-obamas-lush-luxurious-spanish-vacation-hit-extrav

And please, don't (as most here do) slam the messenger for the BS was real and I certainly remember it. Of course, it was egg-on-face as not a dime of taxpayer money was spent!

So.......Again.....Where were you?

[FrenchWomenDont]

01:37 PM on 08/07/2010

They went on a day trip to Jefferson's birthplace and they complained. You complain regardless in the US out wherever!

[1088]

01:19 PM on 08/07/2010

NOW I WANT TO VISIT SPAIN!! BEAUTIFUL PLACE!!

[Pema]

06:01 PM on 08/07/2010

i heard amazing to take motorcyle trips on the coast. havent been but hard its a must not miss for world travel. if i was younger i would do it, but now i just take a mobie scooty around disneyland!
yea i know my life is exciting as he// ;0

[Scott1560]

06:18 PM on 08/07/2010

Our State Department didn't think so up until, well, uh............................

[VOTER]

12:46 PM on 08/07/2010

All complainers need to recall the VACATION POTUS Bush and his War Profits Clan.
They have cost us BILLIONS.

Bush left the USA with a "most hated global status" He undid decades of Good Will.
President Obama and his Family have restored dignity to the WH and our Country.

[Pema]

12:53 PM on 08/07/2010

honestly we didnt get the same coverage of the bush twins till after they pulled a bonehead manuver. my problem is af1 cost 180,000 plus an hour. and it supossed to be for offical duties of the president not to have it as the first familys personal vacay jet unless the president is with them.

[jazabelz]

10:54 AM on 08/09/2010

They used Air Force 2 for this trip which is used by the VP and other officials. Minor detail, but if you're going to throw stones, you should have your facts right!

[American Lion]

01:00 PM on 08/07/2010

I agree VOTER, the complains are a little overblown by people who would complain if she spent a week in . . . I dont know . . . Biloxi, Mississippi or Crawford, Texas.

[MajorKong]

12:09 PM on 08/07/2010

Ronda is a pretty amazing place if you ever get a chance to go there.