Michelle, Sasha Obama dine with Spain's king

Video: Critics rain on first lady’s Spanish holiday

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   >>> first lady michelle obama and youngest daughter sasha in the next to last day of their five day trip to spain . supposed to be a quite it, private vacation. it has been far from that. here is nbc's nora o'donnell.

   >> reporter: visiting in spain , mrs. obama and daughter sasha toured this historic city known as the birth place of modern bullfighting. she arrived in a 13 car motorcade and guarded by dozens of security agents . the first lady's trip was supposed to be a private, mother/daughter get away with friends. but now mrs. obama is facing a stouf storm of criticism.

   >> i think the white house looks clueless when this country is going through some of the worst times almost since the great depression.

   >> reporter: on friday, spanish police cleared a stretch of beach for mrs. obama , a beach not on the gulf coast as the first lady urged americans to visit just last month.

   >> everybody should come here.

   >> reporter: the first family will visit the gulf one night next weekend, but this week, she chose the glitziest hotel in spain .

   >> some folks might think the timing wasn't great. certainly i think it's, the kind of thing that any mother would want to do with their child.

   >> reporter: still there are question as but who is footing the bill.

   >> mrs. obama picks up all of her personal costs but it doesn't cover the whole tab.

   >> reporter: a tab that includes the air force version of a 747. the air force said it costs $11,551 an hour. for a 6 1/2 hour flight, the round trip cost to taxpayers, $150,163. also on the bill, the estimated 70 secret service agents who get a $273 a day per diem . the first lady's advisers point out mrs. obama does not have a choice in the size of her security detail or the size of the plane she must travel in. but some will question whether she does have a choice in where she vacations. laura bush took private vacations, but usually hiking trips in america's national parks . hillary clinton traveled overseas with chelsea to africa and india, but those were official visits. a reminder that while the job of first lady is not an elected one, it still comes with all the scrutiny. nora

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