It's all about the bling

There is so much wealth in this part of the world, it's hard to fathom.

Today we went to the Burj Al Arab; Dubai's iconic hotel that looks like a giant sail boat. It's been called the "Worlds only 7 star hotel" and is built on its own private man made island. The smallest suite is1,820 sq ft, the largest covers 8,400 sq ft. To even enter the hotel you have to have a reservation for either a room or a meal, so we made reservations for lunch.

The hotel is "Saudi gaudy" on the inside with bright colors everywhere reminding me of Disney's movie Alladin. And to make sure you fit in, you can purchase your own 24k gold deck of playing cards or iPad in the hotel gift shop.

At the Dubai mall - the largest mall in the world (not the one with the ski slope inside, that one is down the road), you can find any designer you could want. Loius Vuitton, Channel, Dior, and Hermes are in the center of the mall's "Fashion District," with Prada, and those 'lesser brands' radiating out from the hub! 

If it's jewelry you're looking for, you'll find Tiffany's, Harry Winston, and Van Cleef. Of course if you're in a hurry you can alway just buy some gold at the ATM.