From the desk of Frank Kane: what happens in Davos ...

The protocols of discretion, as well as the laws of libel, make it impossible to tell all that goes on at Davos. But the power brokers and pointy heads do not spend all their time pondering the world's pressing problems, writes Frank Kane.

The protocols of discretion, as well as the laws of libel, make it impossible to tell all that goes on at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos, Switzerland.

But suffice to say the power brokers and pointy heads who make the annual pilgrimage do not spend all their time pondering the world's pressing problems.

The intellectuals know how to party, it seems, when the snow is deep and the temperature hits minus 8.

After a hard day's thinking and talking, the usual routine was this: early refreshments at one of the bars in the Belvedere hotel, the epicentre of the Davos phenomenon; followed by dinner, maybe at the Belvedere, or at one of the other establishments that cater to the needs of off-duty "Davos Man" (and Woman) at the yearly brain-fest.

Then, well, wherever the night took you, really. For a country whose reputation in the fun league must be close to that of Saudi Arabia, the Swiss sure know how to turn it on when the sun goes down. Piano bars, nightclubs and all sorts of other establishments often meant there was little time for sleep before another hard day's cerebral work.

But the main bar at the Belvedere was always the starting point. This was due in no small part to the fact that drinks at the hotel bar were sponsored by Google for the duration of the WEF.

The word "Google" has already become a verb (as in "I Googled you"). Now it is an adjective too, as in, "Wow, was I Googled last night."

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One of the biggest challenges at the WEF this year was the weather. Davos had suffered a big snowstorm the day before the event began, and it was a shock to a Dubai-oriented system to arrive in sub-zero temperatures with mountains of snow.

Lesson number one for Davos attendees: wear sensible shoes. "Sensible" in conditions such as last week's meant ankle-length boots with fur lining and grippy soles, but then you had the daytime problem: could you really swank around Congress in a business suit, cuffed shirt, silk tie and Arctic boots? Just a little incongruous.

Some brought "normal" shoes with them and changed back into boots each day for the return trip, handing over the shoes to a flunkey.

Lacking a flunkey, and after a couple of tumbles on the icy streets, I, on the advice of a very helpful sales assistant at a sports shop, opted for "Yeti Shoe Spikes", flexible rubber skins with spikes and chains you could slip over your day shoes. Bizarre, but effective.

Lord Peter Mandelson, the former British cabinet minister dubbed the "Prince of Darkness", had obviously not heard of Yeti. I came across him one day slipping and sliding along the pavement, just about keeping his feet, if not his dignity. "I hate this," he said. I think he was referring to the weather, not Davos.

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Glamour there was aplenty, even excluding the (predominantly male) movers and shakers who ruled the day.

At night, Davos Woman came out in all her splendour to revel in the après parties. I suppose Alpine glamour is timeless: fur coats and hats (it looked like real animal fur to me) covering little black numbers, often rounded off by very expensive-looking fur boots.

There was no trace this year of Bono, the singer with the Irish rock band U2, but Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones turned up. He made headlines by refusing the invitation of David Cameron, the UK prime minister, to join him at a British afternoon tea. Not Mick's kind of thing, really. But later he wowed those lucky enough to be there in a late-night piano-jamming session with a senior Arab royal.

Another show-stopper was Nouriel Roubini, who arrived at the Time magazine party with a stunning blonde female companion.

The economist who predicted the 2008 financial crisis and who spent his time at the WEF spreading his gospel of gloom certainly didn't look too pessimistic that evening.

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