Paddington at the Seaside: Portarlington Beach
"Hullo everyone! Greetings from the seaside: Portarlington Beach to be exact!
It's been so hot in Australia this summer that Daddy and I have had to spend a great deal of time inside in air-conditioned comfort reading books and entertaining ourselves with other indoor pursuits. Thankfully, a few weeks ago, the temperature turned a little milder for a few days, so when we watched the weather man on the telly and he told us that it was going to be 25 degrees Celsius, I asked Daddy if we could go to the seaside. So he took me to Portarlington Beach along the Bellarine Peninsular.
Now even though it's only 25 degrees, the ozone layer in Australia is pretty thin, so you can get easily burnt, but took the advice of my good friend Ted ( pefkosmad ) and made sure that Daddy packed my Ambear Solaire sunscreen and a beach umbrella. I started with just the Ambear Solaire sunscreen initially, but fond that I needed the beach umbrella. Using both, my plush fur was warmed by the sun, but well protected. Whilst I sunbathed, Daddy went to the Portarlington Sunday Market and bought a jar of honey, two jars of jam and best of all... some bitter grapefruit marmalade. Yummy!"
Yes, it's true. On a milder summer day on the last weekend of February, Paddy and I boarded the Port Philip Ferry Service with my partner and three other friends at Melbourne's docklands and journeyed across to the seaside town of Portarlington. The milder weather was just a (blessed) bonus. We had planned our trip to coincide with the Portarlington Community Market which occurs on the last Sunday of every month, excluding Christamas. Paddy also wished to enjoy the sunshine and the sandy beach.
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his Macintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his Macintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Portarlington is a historic seaside township originally settled in 1850, located on the Bellarine Peninsula, 28 kilometres from the port city of Geelong. Originally called Drayton, Portarlington was renamed in 1851, apparently in honour of the English peer, Sir Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington, However a more popular belief is that, owing to the number of early Irish settlers in the area, the town was actually named after the town in Ireland bearing the same name, Portarlington. The newly surveyed township was neatly laid out, with broad streets, and planted with English elms and pines. Although initially a settlement with local employers including a steam mill and a brickworks, it quickly became a popular summer retreat for Geelong and Melbourne's wealthy because of its picturesque setting and fine sandy beaches. It was serviced by a regular steamer, and a public bathing house opened in 1868. Bathing on the open beaches was prohibited in the Victorian period "out of respect for public sentiment". By the 1920s, the increasing popularity of the automobile generated a new influx of holiday makers from Melbourne and regional Victoria. Camping grounds and caravan parks were established throughout the town, and in summer months the town\'s permanent residents were outnumbered many times over by holidaying families and tourists. Today, Portarlington has a diverse population, a high proportion of retirees, and a large seasonal holiday population. The gently rising hills behind the town feature a number of popular vineyards. Portarlington is a popular family holiday destination and a centre of fishing. Recently it became the latest seaside township to be connected to Melbourne by way of a regular ferry run, allowing easier access for commuter traffic to Melbourne, and holidaymakers and tourists (including small Peruvian bears) to visit this vibrant and pretty seaside town.
Paddington at the Seaside: Portarlington Beach
"Hullo everyone! Greetings from the seaside: Portarlington Beach to be exact!
It's been so hot in Australia this summer that Daddy and I have had to spend a great deal of time inside in air-conditioned comfort reading books and entertaining ourselves with other indoor pursuits. Thankfully, a few weeks ago, the temperature turned a little milder for a few days, so when we watched the weather man on the telly and he told us that it was going to be 25 degrees Celsius, I asked Daddy if we could go to the seaside. So he took me to Portarlington Beach along the Bellarine Peninsular.
Now even though it's only 25 degrees, the ozone layer in Australia is pretty thin, so you can get easily burnt, but took the advice of my good friend Ted ( pefkosmad ) and made sure that Daddy packed my Ambear Solaire sunscreen and a beach umbrella. I started with just the Ambear Solaire sunscreen initially, but fond that I needed the beach umbrella. Using both, my plush fur was warmed by the sun, but well protected. Whilst I sunbathed, Daddy went to the Portarlington Sunday Market and bought a jar of honey, two jars of jam and best of all... some bitter grapefruit marmalade. Yummy!"
Yes, it's true. On a milder summer day on the last weekend of February, Paddy and I boarded the Port Philip Ferry Service with my partner and three other friends at Melbourne's docklands and journeyed across to the seaside town of Portarlington. The milder weather was just a (blessed) bonus. We had planned our trip to coincide with the Portarlington Community Market which occurs on the last Sunday of every month, excluding Christamas. Paddy also wished to enjoy the sunshine and the sandy beach.
My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his Macintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his Macintosh.
He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.
Portarlington is a historic seaside township originally settled in 1850, located on the Bellarine Peninsula, 28 kilometres from the port city of Geelong. Originally called Drayton, Portarlington was renamed in 1851, apparently in honour of the English peer, Sir Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington, However a more popular belief is that, owing to the number of early Irish settlers in the area, the town was actually named after the town in Ireland bearing the same name, Portarlington. The newly surveyed township was neatly laid out, with broad streets, and planted with English elms and pines. Although initially a settlement with local employers including a steam mill and a brickworks, it quickly became a popular summer retreat for Geelong and Melbourne's wealthy because of its picturesque setting and fine sandy beaches. It was serviced by a regular steamer, and a public bathing house opened in 1868. Bathing on the open beaches was prohibited in the Victorian period "out of respect for public sentiment". By the 1920s, the increasing popularity of the automobile generated a new influx of holiday makers from Melbourne and regional Victoria. Camping grounds and caravan parks were established throughout the town, and in summer months the town\'s permanent residents were outnumbered many times over by holidaying families and tourists. Today, Portarlington has a diverse population, a high proportion of retirees, and a large seasonal holiday population. The gently rising hills behind the town feature a number of popular vineyards. Portarlington is a popular family holiday destination and a centre of fishing. Recently it became the latest seaside township to be connected to Melbourne by way of a regular ferry run, allowing easier access for commuter traffic to Melbourne, and holidaymakers and tourists (including small Peruvian bears) to visit this vibrant and pretty seaside town.