Visitors to a luxury fair in Brussels find
the latest toys to spend their euros on including a chance to snort
chocolate.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 30, 2008) REUTERS -

Before the credit crunch, financial crisis and economic recession
suck the hard earned cash out of your pocket, be sure to drop by Brussels'
Expo Grand Luxe to blow your last remaining cash and get the one thing you've
always dreamed of.
It could be a Spyker car - one of only 40 handmade sports cars designed
by Dutch team Maarten de Bruyn and Victor Muller which costs around 250,000
euros (318,000 U.S. dollars).
The C8 Laviolette SWB, or Short Wheel Base, car has an Audi 4.2 litre
V8 engine that can rev up to 400 kph, an all-leather interior and a unique
6-speed exposed manual gearbox that is guaranteed to get everyone talking.

Or it could be a Damien Hirst lookalike black and white diamond ring at
8,500 euros (10,800 USD) with a chattering jaw.
Antwerp designer Joel Glecer has only made 4 of these rings in ever
bigger models. This latest version is made up of 3.76 carats of white diamonds
and 5.68 carats of black diamonds.
There are power boats, Louis Reichman and MeeVida jewels. There are
luxury holidays, dream motorbike tours and home swimming pools.
Grand Luxe Expo spits in the face of recession.
But whilst some think it is reasonable to charge 250,000 for a car or
just over 8,000 on a ring others feel a little queasy in such hard times.
"I don't feel right because its not really within our budget and
we are here out of curiosity. It's good for those who can afford it,"
said Isabelle, a Francophone Belgian.
"I think for the very fortunate and wealthy people I think the
crisis is a word they do not really know," added Jan van dan Bossche, a
Flemish customer.
Besides cars and jewellery visitors also had the opportunity to 'snort'
chocolate, and follow it up with a chocolate-covered strawberry.
"I've never sniffed before in my life and this man he kindly said
to me 'yes they all say that' but, as a matter of fact, its true and I thought
it was a unique opportunity to try to have a sniff, you know, something not
toxic. So, I wanted to do that. You really smell of course the chocolate, very
good, but the sensation of the mint which comes at the back of your nose and
the beginning of your throat, its quite sensational," said Jan Van Dan
Bossche.
There was also a fashion show where luxury lingerie and clothes were
showcased.