Tomorrow is the big day! On October 2, the Olympic Committee will announce the host city for the 2016 Olympics, and it's a hot race right down to the last minute for finalist cities Chicago, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, and Madrid. These final 24 hours have been particularly important to the decision-making process, as each city flew their star-power spokespeople to Copenhagen, Denmark to make final pleas before the Committee.

While soccer star Pelé did what he could for Rio's case, Chicago's representation was a bit more impressive with both Oprah and Michelle Obama stepping up to the podium to pitch The Windy City. Oprah might rule it these days, you see, but Michelle was born there and remains a Second City gal, even if her residence is now the White House.

Good posted a clever interactive graphic. The most carnivorous country per capita? Denmark.

Forget about Australia’s “Where the bloody hell are you?” campaign. There’s a new winner in the controversial tourism campaign sweepstakes, and it comes from, of all places, Denmark.

The Danish ad plays like a homemade webcam clip, featuring a young woman who claims to be looking for her baby’s father—a foreign tourist whose name she can’t remember. I’m not totally sure how it’s intended to entice visitors to the country—I don’t think accidental parenthood is on most folks’ dream itineraries—but, predictably, the spot was greeted with indignation and has been removed from VisitDenmark’s YouTube channel. The AP quotes a VisitDenmark representative as saying that it was meant to be “a nice and sweet story about a grown-up woman who lives in a free society and accepts the consequences of her actions.”

Of course, the ad didn’t get yanked before copies, parodies and responses started popping up. Here’s a re-posting of the original:

The world was glued this week to the MV Maersk Alabama, a container ship hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia this week. As snipers daringly rescued the captain, the ship remains under scurvy control along with its 5,000 tons of relief aid -- avast!

The ship may fly under the American flag now but it's actually Danish in origin, having been docked in Copenhagen for years. And you know, maybe everyone on board would prefer to hide out for a while up there to throw the pirates off their trail. After all, these sea ninjas are hardly accustomed to long voyages, despite their facility for taking things that isn't theirs.

Soon enough the crew would be waiting at Kastrup International Airport to go home, where they could log in for $10.63 an hour (60 DKK) and send the world's greatest excuse: "Sorry I couldn't make it, I was kidnapped by pirates."

Trying to find something of yours which has been hijacked by pirates? Don't forget on your way out to make them walk the plank to use the airport internet -- and let us know about it!

Related Stories:
· Rescued US Captain Heads Home from Kenya [P via Google]
· Anatomy of a Cruise Ship Attack [Jaunted]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]

We are suckers for a room with a killer view.  We find that we are even more likely to forgive some minor hotel inconveniences if we can stare out the window at something pretty--yeah we are that shallow. Let's help out our fellow hotel mavens by uploading rooms with killer views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. We will feature our favorites in this space from time to time. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number of the hot view.

When you look out the window of the Hotel Bethel, don't you see, like, such a pretty picture that it reminds

Copenhagen and Amsterdam are in an informal competition to be known as the world's best cycling city.

Both have large populations of enthusiastic bikers that have made two wheels their primary form of transportation. But Copenhagen has edged ahead in the race with a new initiative that will make a main thoroughfare, Nørrebrogade, bike-only for three months, allowing bicyclists an easier morning and evening commute.

Closing Nørrebrogade to car traffic is one of many steps the government has taken to make biking easier in it's city. And it makes sense too, as car drivers are quickly becoming the minority. Only 17,000 cars use the Nørrebrogade daily, as opposed to 33,000 cyclists.

Related Stories:
· Copenhagen Cyclists Take Over Main City Thoroughfare [Treehugger]
· "Summer Streets" Turning NYC into a Summer Destination [Jaunted]
· Green Travel [Jaunted]

[Photo: soylentgreen23]

If you're strolling through downtown Copenhagen and need to get your caffeine fix, keep an eye out for the Espressomanden. Ole, the espresso man, is the proprietor of a very cool mobile coffee shop mounted on a cargo bicycle.

He can be found daily, parked on the streets of Copenhagen, and is available to serve coffee at weddings, receptions and company parties. You can also wave him down, taxi style, and he'll stop and pull you a tasty double shot.

The Espressomanden is completely self sufficient. The cargo bike can carry loads up to 150 kg and the coffee machines are powered by natural gas on board.

As it happens, Copenhagen is one of the world's most bike friendly cities. More than 50 percent of the population ride bikes as their primary form of transportation. Cargo bike based businesses are also taking off in a big way. If you don't like coffee, you'll also find fruit bikes, newspaper bikes and a whole bunch of rickshaws.

Related Stories:
· Espressomanden [Official Site]
· Espressomanden Ole [Copenhagenize]
· Copenhagen Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Copenhagenize]

It's too late to grow a real beard: The World Santa Claus Congress starts today in Copenhagen, whose residents will get a glimpse of many Kris Kringles as they parade and wreak havoc out of season.

Santas will promenade down Strøget, a pedestrian thoroughfare made up of several streets in the city center, and later jump into the Copenhagen harbor over the course of the three-day festival, now in its 51st year.

Just don't ask them which one is the real Santa; they'll say they all are.

Related Stories:
· World Santa Claus Congress [Official Site, in Danish]
· You Can Dine with Danes, Too [Jaunted]
· Santa Claus coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: paulafunnell]

After a week in Scandinavia, I am in love. Not with a tall, blond Swede, mind you, but with the bike culture here. Coming from New York, where cyclists risk their lives every day dodging manic cab and truck drivers, I was thrilled to escape to Stockholm and Copenhagen. Here, drivers actually stop at stop signs. They also refrain from honking when cyclists and pedestrians cross and intersection. Every major street has wide bike lanes, and most of the time they are painted blue or are slightly elevated to distinguish them even more.

In Copenhagen, cyclists even get their own traffic lights. On almost every street there are lines of parked bikes, since about half the population rides on a given day. Subway stations need to have a section of elevated bike parking to meet demand.

Dressed in everyday clothes, I don’t feel like a fish out of water like I do in the US. Here, people don’t believe they must dress in sweatpants or spandex outfits like Tour de France racers just to ride a bike. For Scandinavians, bikes are primarily a mode of transportation, not a mode of weight loss. Young moms pedal toddlers around in stylish jeans and wool coats. Businessmen wear their suits and plop briefcases in a bike basket. Ladies-who-lunch types ride cruisers with heels on, dangling purses from handlebars. When you spend as much time riding Scandinavians do, why not look good while you’re at it?

Maybe having such a high rate of alternative transportation is why the cities have crisp, fresh air. And why even at the height of rush hour the city centers have almost no congestion. And why Americans like me wonder how easy it would be to become expats here.

- by Diana Kuan of Indietrekker fame

Beer lovers who missed out on the world's biggest pub crawl in Australia last weekend can take heart: You just need a ticket to Copenhagen for September.

The European Beer Festival 2008 will take place in the Danish capital September 12-14. The PR people say it's for "discriminating beer connoisseurs" but we're sure you don't have to belong to the toffee-nosed beer-sniffing set to enjoy a beer festival.

This one sounds particularly fun because it will be held in part of the Carlsberg breweries--very recently vacated as production is moving to another site. That means beer fest visitors can see some of the more private parts of the brewery, including the horse stables. Entry tickets include your first two beers and a detailed beer guide, if you want the low down on all the ale you're swilling.

Related Stories:
· European Beer Festival [Official Site]
· Hit the Pub Route in Queensland [Jaunted]
· Copenhagen Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: kevincrumbs]