(2 of 2)
But neither the length of the sessions (8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily) nor the tedium of some speakers dampened the playful mood of most participants. Observed one executive: "Among other things, the forum offers a delightful vacation on the expense account." Many came to the meetings wearing ski togs instead of business suits and parked the rest of their sports gear at the door. Said one who attended: "You'd feel naked here without your skis." At night the almost exclusively male executives and their female companions dressed in the finest evening wear and quaffed magnums of champagne, while Pepe Lienhard's band at Davos' Kongresshaus played tangos, cha cha chas and Glenn Miller favorites. The business and financial situation in Europe cannot be all that bad. ∎