Saddam's luxurious yacht on sale for 17 million pounds

A 270 feet super-yacht, which was built for Saddam Hussein, is on sale for 17 million pounds in Paris.

Built by Danish shipbuilders for the late Iraqi dictator in 1981, this yacht was originally named "Qadissiyat Saddam", after a famous Arab victory over the Persians in 637 AD.

Now renamed "Ocean Breeze", this yacht is truly a floating palace, with a host of features that is a trademark of the luxuriant lifestyle of Saddam Hussein.

There are bathrooms with gold taps, Jacuzzis, steam rooms, hi-tech entertainment suites and games parlours, including table tennis and pool tables, and flat-screen TVs in almost every cabin.

With banquets in mind, there is silverware for 200 people. But as the yacht was intended for Saddam's private use, it can sleep only a relatively modest 28 people. There is a helicopter pad and a health clinic, complete with a mini-operating theatre.

Apart from that, it is decorated throughout with fine mahogany, gold, silver and marble, and was described by its builders as "lavish in every detail and very Arabic in style".

limousine bus

Liberty of the Seas - Royal Caribbean cruise ship

Liberty of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean cruise ship of the Freedom class which entered regular service in May 2007. The 15-deck ship accommodates 4,370 passengers served by 1,360 crew. She was built in 18 months at the Aker Finnyards drydock in Turku, Finland, where her sister ship Freedom of the Seas was also built. At over 154,000 gross tons, she joins her sister ship Freedom of the Seas as the largest cruise ships and passenger vessels ever built. She is 1,112 feet (339m) long, and cruises at 21.6 knots (40 km/h).

On April 19, 2007, she was delivered to parent company Royal Caribbean. On April 22, 2007 she made her first port of call Southampton, on a promotional visit. She arrived at Cape Liberty Cruise Port on May 3, 2007.

Liberty of the Seas is the second of the Freedom Class vessels. A third ship, Independence of the Seas, is scheduled for delivery in 2008. In 2009, the first in a new Genesis class of ships measuring 220,000 gross tons is slated to displace the Freedom class as the world's largest passenger ships.

On one of its first voyages, the Liberty of the Seas was struck with the highly contagious norovirus, or "Norwalk virus" after a passenger brought the virus onboard.

Crystal Mercedes-Benz SL600 at Tokyo Auto Salon

customized Mercedes-Benz SL600, Luxury Crystal Benz, studded with 300,000 Swarovski crystal glass, displayed at the pavilion of custom car accessory company Garson/D.A.D at Tokyo Auto Salon 2009 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, east of Tokyo, Jan.9, 2009

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