Oprah visits Copenhagen to bring home Olympics to Chicago
Royalty has landed in Copenhagen. No, we not talking about the high and mighty from Brasil, Tokyo, and Spain, here to promote their countries' Olympic birds. Nor do we mean Michelle and Barack Obama, though they feel close to royalty, but Oprah Winfrey, the global queen of daytime television.
King Juan Carlos
The Danes barely raised an eyebrow when King Juan Carlos of spain landed in Copenhagen to help push Madrid's campaign to host the 2016 summer Olympics. Brazil's President Luiz Lula da Silva created even less of a stir, and Shintaro Ishihara, governor of Tokyo, caused not even the faintest ripple.
Oprah flocked by fans
Oprah Winfrey on the other hand was flocked by fans and well-wishers as she strolled along Copenhagen's main shopping street, Stroget.
Smiling broadly, happily answering questions, and signing autographs, Oprah made her way slowly along the buzzing street, a tall security by her side.
Summerbird chocolate
She stopped briefly at Summerbird's chocolate boutique, said by many to be the best chocolate in the world and certainly the most exclusive and expensive in Denmark.
Oprah's shopping route took her along Kongens Nytorg, Ostergade, and to Storkespringvandet, where she popped into Royal Copenhagen and ordered a dish called "Burning Love" in the garden restaurant.
Happy Danes
Oprah's researchers have referred her to research from the University of Leicester, England which found that Danes are the happiest people in the world. As a result, Oprah will be making a show looking at the reasons for Danes being happy.
We asked her why she thinks Danes are happy. She says, It is an affluent society which feels stable and secure because everyone, or almost everyone, has access to high quality health care (via socialized health care provision), unemployment is low, incomes are high, and daycare is available for working and single parents.
Kids play safely
Oprah was impressed to see children palying outside without fear of shooting and kidnapping, which she said plagues so many American inner city areas.
But Oprah was quick to add that America is the greatest nation on earth, which rewards hard work and creativity, making it possible for people from humble backgrounds, such as herself, to realize the American dream.
Balancing family and career
She did say that American women could learn from Danish women how to better balance family, home, and career. She told reporters that millions of Americans work so hard and so many hours that their family lives suffer as a result.
Throughout her first day in Copenhagen, Oprah was seen in the company of her good friend Michelle Obama, who arrived in the city ahead of her husband, who will be in the Danish capital for about five hours.
Hotel D'Angleterre
Oprah, along with many VIP guests in the city for the International Olympic Committee vote to choose the host city for the 2016 summer Olympics, is staying at Hotel D'Angleterre, Copenhagen's most exclsuive hotel.
Oprah is confident that Chicago will be awarded the Olympics. She says the city has a great team leader in the shape of America's president, Barack Obama.
by Giles Devos in Copenhagen