Outside the Palais

The last time that was the day that only occurs once almost every four years I had a very short unexpected trip to Brussels. During that short time I was able to visit two tea stores. La Maison du Thé and Le Palais des Thés. Of course I spend too much, eh too little, eh, well you understand.

Besides the teas I also bought a book at the Palais: “Chercheur de Thé / Discovering Tea” by François-Xavier Delmas, the founder of the Palais.

Yes I know, I must have an iron somewhere...

The small book contains blogposts and photos by François-Xavier as he posted them on his blog (english) from 29-01-2010 to 01-04-2011. That is his first year on that blog. The paper is mat and the pictures are therefore not as vivid as on his site. But the pictures are still great.

In his blogs (at least in his book, I did not check everything on the site) he combines his photo’s with a short description of what’s on it. In most cases the photo is on the left page, French text left on the right one and English right on the right one. The stories and photos range from visits to tea plantations, cities, tea tastings, food and contain small bits of tea knowledge. What else do you expect from a photographing tea merchant who travels around the world who uses his blog as a public travel diary?

Of course you can read his blog on his site. But for those who would like to read it on paper, leaf through it, prefer the smell of paper over that of electronics or those who still don’t realize that he also has an English version of his blog this is a little gem.

For those that have read the online version, prefer the smell of electronics over that of paper, prefer the vivid screen photos over the mat paper versions or who want to spend their money more wisely or more wasteful this book has nothing to add except a paper version.

Are there others out there that have bookified their teablogs?

And yes it was not the only thing that left the store with me that day...

• Delmas, François-Xavier, Chercheur de Thé / Discovering Tea, 2011 (2012?). ISBN 2-9517419-4-4
• Blog: Chercheur de Thé / Discovering Tea