THE TRUTH ABOUT DAVOS: It's 'DaVOS,' Not 'DAvos' -- And The Police Don't Like You Taking Pictures

When you think of the name of that little Alp ski town all those world leaders are gathering in this week, you probably think it's pronounced Davos, with the emphasis on the first syllable ("DA-vos").

That's because you're a clueless American.

It's actually pronounced "da-VOS," with the emphasis on the second syllable.

How did I learn that?

Because in Munich, I told a German I was heading to Davos ("DA-vos"), and he snickered and said it was "da-VOS."

Of course, being American, in addition to being clueless, you're probably also arrogant--arrogant enough to think that the name of the place you're going is pronounced the way YOU pronounce it, so as far as you're concerned, it's DAvos.

And as far as I'm concerned, it's DAvos.

So, suck it, Germans.

Anyway, I've arrived in DAvos. In a snowstorm. And I've discovered something. The DAvos police don't like having huge telephoto lenses shoved in their faces. 

They have a job to do, these DAvos police--keeping out terrorists who want to blow up world leaders. So they don't take too kindly to having things pointed at them that might be guns.

We're starting in Munich, in a fabulous room at the Bayerischer Hof (courtesy of DLD, another conference, where I just moderated a panel). It just snowed.

The weather's still crappy as we scoot past a beer brewery, next to the tram tracks.

But we're riding in a brand-spanking new Audi A8. Audi sponsored DLD, so I've gotten quite used to riding around in brand new A8s. And we're being chauffered. And there's a world leader in the back. Okay, not EXACTLY a world leader, but a high-ranking executive of a massive multinational who has paid a BOATLOAD of money to go to Davos. The executive demands anonymity in exchange for sharing the truth about Davos. I grant it.

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See Also:

• UNBOXING: Azerbaijan's Gift For The People Of Davos
• THE TRUTH ABOUT DAVOS: v. 2.0
• DAVOS MEN TO THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD: Things Are Screwed Up, Here's How We Want You To Fix Them