Davos way of life

Davos was a completely different world from the (relative) wilderness of the past three days. The city is not really beautiful and falls short of St Moritz in that regard. No comparison to gems like Bergün or the small hidden alpine villages deep in the mountains. Typical for a ski resort in summer, the place is also surrounded by oversized ski lifts on every possible surrounding mountain peak, and equipped with a rich entertainment offering for young and old in well-developed self-service ski huts with flat supply paths all the way down to the valley, which are actually also used by hikers.

Well, but ash on my head, because we also benefited well from this infrastructure. In Davos, starting from the first overnight stay, there is a guest card for free use of all mountain railways. And for an additional 15 francs, the bike can also be used all day. Needless to say, I took a break from my dogma of conquering the mountains only with muscular strength for a certain period of time. After all, there were a whole series of legendary trails that could be conquered at a bargain price.

So, the next day we immediately plunged into the famous Alps Epic Trail, one of the very few in Europe that made it onto the list of the best trails of the IMBA (International Mountain Biking Association). As a spectacular start, we surfed deep into the Sertig Valley from the summit of the Jakobshorn. From there, we rode for 35 km through the entire Landwasser Valley to Filisur. Unfortunately, it was more of a cross-country style, with constant ups and downs along the slope. It was an experience, but compared to the other enduro trails that were still waiting for us, the Alps Epic was a bit overshadowed. But at least the weather held up against the forecast until we returned to our campsite in the afternoon.

Continuous showers were announced for the following day. So, we were in a dilemma of having a cheap lift ticket but also taking advantage of the opportunity for a much-needed rest day. Against better knowledge, we decided to ride trails in the rain. This can be quite fun if you enjoy mud therapy and don't start doubting your skills because you suddenly fail on the easiest trails due to slippery roots and rocks. Hans and I had the necessary dose of optimism for the fun to actually kick in, thanks to occasional improvement in the weather and empty gondolas.

This is how we got into a conversation with one of the gondola operators about the annual World Economic Forum. I could already imagine that this must be an absolute state of exception. But what struck me as remarkable is that some stores in Davos can survive only because they rent out their premises to Google and Co for an incredible amount of money during these few days, which are then completely converted into exhibition booths. Or that an acquaintance rents out his house to a few Chinese for 16,000(!) francs during this time, and thus makes the complete annual interest for the mortgage on the side. One should be Swiss, preferably with a residence in Davos.