Wait up! That same clumsy bear, adopted by the well-to-do couple Mr. and Mrs. Brown, who proceeds to wreak havoc on their blissful west London home?

Yes, the very same. Paddington's shabby-chic is storming the catwalks.

You're kidding, right?

Come on, you can't have missed all those designer duffel coats spread across the fashion pages? It's no coincidence that style guru John Galliano's peppered his collection with Peruvian inspired textiles. Think pashmina, think Peruvian vicuna (the planet's rarest fleece favored by Hollywood highlife). Think Joan Collins, think fifth marriage to Peruvian born Percy. Think fashion photographer, think Mario Testino, the resplendent patriot who cites native Peru as shaping his 'got to have it' style.

And wherever Paddington goes, the A-list's sure to follow? George Bush and HRH Prince Andrew are the latest in a list of recent illustrious visitors to the Peruvian capital. The likes of Mariella Frostrup and Patsy Palmer are equally keen to be seen here, each vying for charity-walk chutzpah.

So how come he left Lima in the first place? Paddington Bear was born in Peru, where he lived with his parents. We know very little about Paddington's family, only about his uncle Pastuso. Uncle Pastuso had a café high up in the mountains in Peru. He died in an earthquake, the same earthquake, in fact, that separated Paddington from his father and mother. Paddington inherited the only things his uncle left behind - the now legendary red hat and battered suitcase. Paddington was raised by his Aunt Lucy but was forced to emigrate to Britain when Lucy went into a home for retired bears.

Then why so long to figure Paddington's had his paw on the pulse all along?

The last decade proved to be a blackspot for Paddington and his beloved Lima. A consensus of opinion put the decline in his popularity down to new, if transient, kiddy characters. To put it bluntly said the Daily Star, Paddington's been "stuffed" by the Teletubbies. The early 90's was an equally low point in Lima's history. Thousands of campesinos migrated to Lima fleeing increasing terrorist activities in the countryside and jungle only to be caught up in a bombing campaign in the city. At that point it was hard to say anything positive about Lima. Today Lima's fortunes are on the up and up as the historic centre is sensitively restored, museums built, parks and gardens replenished, the streets cleaned, police vigilance increased and terrorist activity eradicated.

Where would 'a very rare sort of bear' recommend hanging out?

Peru's largest city and capital was once the headquarters of the Spanish conquistadors. Crowned as the Spanish empire's commercial and administrative centre throughout South America, this brought a period of prosperity to the city until an earthquake in 1746 destroyed all but 20 houses. The devastation gave rise to an elaborate city rebuild. The Andean silver that flowed through Lima on its way to Spain helped pay for new colonial mansions and Baroque churches whose altars still glisten with silver.

Today's wide streets, huge plazas and houses with ornately carved balconies are a legacy of the period. On the don't miss list are the Plaza de Armas main square, the Magdalena Palace and it's National Museum of Archaeology, the Gold Museum and Museum of Peruvian Culture; the Inca ruins of Pachacamac, Cajamarquilla, El Paraíso and Chilca; scenic landscapes such as the Infiernillo, Chillón and Río Cañete Canyons. Check out thermal baths such as the Churín and the sprinkling of beaches throughout metropolitan Lima. Top of the list, though, has to the stunning San Francisco church and catacombs. It's near titanic in size. The monastery, cloisters and entrance hall are embellished with authentic Sevillian tiles dating back to 1620. Also remarkable are its Museum of Religious Art, the Zurbaran room and the library. The complex was built over underground catacombs. They buried people here, well actually, they dropped them here and you can even pay a visit to the eerie cemetery remains.

Of late the districts such as Miraflores and Barranco have become cultural hives filled with swanky bars, restaurants and shops. Wherever you go be prepared for street-sellers insisting that yes, you really do need everything from paper napkins to plastic coat hangers to a fake Rolex. Paddington only wore that red hat to escape the attentions of Lima's ubiquitous 'chica' peddlers.

Maybe so, but that supply of marmalade had to come from somewhere, right? You've got to wonder how a bear who insists '... marmalade's very expensive in Darkest Peru' still gets to stash five jumbo-size jars for his voyage. Defer from such dark dealings and stick to the Restaurante Las Mesitas in the Barranco district where they serve up a mean guanabana marmalade cake. La Huaca, in the Huaca Pucllana district, is renowned for its strawberry dessert with a side of hot chilli maramalade.

Okay, enough teasing. Where are all the real bears at?

Bond's first draft of A Bear Called Paddington had the ursine hero stowaway from darkest Africa until Bond's agent pointed out that there were no bears in Africa. Bond switched Paddington's provenance to Peru. "The few bears still existing there are about the right size and nothing much is known about them, which seemed a good thing," Bond has since admitted.

You won't find any signs of bears in the capital these days. For the real thing you'll need to hop on a flight south to Aguas Calientes at the foot of the famous Inca citadel Machu Picchu. Nearby, bear lovers 'a la Stephen Fry' have helped establish a sanctuary to rescue South America's only truly rare Spectacled Bear.

Then how do I get my hands on a piece of Peru?

A good starting point is London's Paddington Station which pays its own statue tribute to the famous Peruvian export. Paddington's house in Windsor Gardens is a walk away from Wall, a boutique in Notting Hill which sells funky Peruvian clothes and fabrics.

For the authentic experience take to Peru on foot. Walks Worldwide (01524 262255, www.walksworldwide.com) offer 15-day family walking tours in Peru, visiting Lima, Lake Titicaca, Cusco, Macchu Pichu and the spectacled bears.

A Bear Called Paddington (Michael Bond) is published by Collins, Other useful reads include Bradt's Peru and Bolivia Trekking Guide, Lonely Planet's Latin American Spanish Phrasebook and Hutchinson's Rescuing the Spectacled Bear (Stephen Fry)

Find Cheap Airline Tickets on Yahoo Travel