By TRAVELER Luxe Wei
In 1956, on Christmas Eve, writer Michael Bond bought the last lonely teddy bear on the shelf at London’s Selfridges, named it after Paddington Station, and featured it in his children’s book. In Bond’s stories, Paddington Bear comes from the dark jungles of Peru, wanders the world alone, and upon arriving at London’s Paddington Station, feeling lost, is taken in by the Brown family. Now a resident of London, Paddington always wears a blue duffle coat and Wellington boots, carries a brown leather suitcase wherever he goes, and has become one of the city’s most beloved immigrants.His London adventure stories have also been adapted into films, premiering in the UK on November 28.
In 1956, on Christmas Eve, writer Michael Bond bought the last lonely teddy bear on the shelf at London’s Selfridges, named it after Paddington Station, and featured it in his children’s book. In Bond’s stories, Paddington Bear comes from the dark jungles of Peru, wanders the world alone, and upon arriving at London’s Paddington Station, feeling lost, is taken in by the Brown family. Now a resident of London, Paddington always wears a blue duffle coat and Wellington boots, carries a brown leather suitcase wherever he goes, and has become one of the city’s most beloved immigrants.His London adventure stories have also been adapted into films, premiering in the UK on November 28.
The adventures of little Paddington Bear will leap onto the big screen, with the film being released worldwide. (Image source / standard)
Join the colorful little bear for an adventure around London. (Image source / studiocanal)
Combining the movie and urban tourism, VisitLondon.com created “The Paddington Trail.” It invited celebrities and artists such as Ben Whishaw (the voice of Paddington Bear), Benedict Cumberbatch (who plays Sherlock Holmes in the new series), Emma Watson (of Harry Potter), former football star David Beckham, London Mayor Boris Johnson, and artist Hannah Warren, among others, to collaborate on creating 50 Paddington Bear statues.
Various colorful Paddington Bears are scattered across the streets of London, waiting for visitors to find them. (Image source / nspcc)
The event’s official website offers a downloadable city trail map, photo sharing options, and insights into the history of the locations where the statues are placed. (Image source / hughbonneville)
The 50 bears will appear in all corners of London. Follow the furry paw prints to experience various artistic, cultural, avant-garde, and joyful adventures around the city. The final stop is the Paddington Bear Shop at Selfridges, where you can buy a replica bear modeled after one of the statues, giving this urban journey a cute and memorable ending.
The UK has created 50 Paddington Bears to promote the movie and city tourism. (Image provided / TRAVELER Luxe Traveler)
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