Mercedes bike for Bush, diamond ring for Rice

At home, he was one of the most unpopular presidents in history, but George Bush was showered with lavish presents from foreign leaders during his last year in office, according to US State Department records.

Jewellery, wines, cigars and hand-crafted rugs topped the list of items sent to the White House last year.

German chancellor Angela Merkel sent a Mercedes mountain bike, perhaps recalling the time in 2005 when a cycling Bush collided with a policeman in Scotland.

Both Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Algerian president, and French leader Nicolas Sarkozy sent him fancy saddles.

But one of the most generous gifts was from long-time enemy Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya who gave former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice a diamond ring and a gold locket with an image of his face inside. - Daily Mail

• This article was originally published on page 8 of The Cape Argus on June 28, 2009