The poor economy is hitting all sorts of people very hard. The sad tale of deprivation of King Fahd during his summer vacation in the Spanish resort of Marbella. During the 52 days he was there, he and his entouage spent a measly 150 million euro or about 3 million a day. Last year his expenditure still ran at 5 million a day.

Fahd is a regular visitor in Marbella. His entourage numbers around 3000 there, which are flown around in 15 airplanes, including a 747. In the hills outside of Marbella he has an estate, on which he's had a copy of the White House built. The Mar Mar palace has an area of 250,000 square meters. 300 Mercedes cars were shipped in from Geneva, and a fleet of aircraft ferries supplies from Saudi Arabia over to the south of Spain.

Life is hard if your oil revenues are declining. Even harder if you consider that without them, you could well be deposed from your comfy throne. Oh my, whatever will he do?