Davos 2013 Second day … 

Second day . . . and some things have changed . . . namely the invasion of corporate booths/cafes on the streets of Davos (the trend apparently started last year). My favorite Cafe Schneider’s has been turn into the Pepsi Cafe – while I enjoyed a free lunch at the bar yesterday (restaurant was packed), it was closed today for a “private event.”

Speaking of private events, they seem to be happening at all times now, more than ever before. Last night a friend/ex-WEF colleague and I wanted to have a “normal” quiet dinner. We went to no less than 5 places – restaurants, hotels, cafes – before we found a place that was not closed for a private event and one can just go in and have a meal. Even there was packed, we were lucky to get a table and VERY thankful for some good (much better than expected) food after tracking around in the freezing snow and going in/out of hotel security checks for 40min.

I finished off the night by stopping by at another private event – the ever more popular and exclusive “Davos Wine Forum” at the famous Piano Bar of the Hotel Europe, a Davos nightlife institution. Two unfriendly hotel hosts took turns to check one’s name and badge against a long list and if you are not on it, you better have a friend (which luckily I did . . . ), otherwise no luck this year to get in. When inside, while making small talk with a woman, she asked what my name is.

“Pan, P-A-N” I answered. “No no . . . I need to SEE your name . . .!”
Quite taken aback, I showed her my badge (what she really wanted to see) . . . thinking ‘this is Davos, you are bound to meet people who want to be seen and see!’