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ALL ONE WORLD EGYPTOLOGISTS TOUR
BLUE LOTUS GUESTHOUSE
— THURSDAY 10 JANUARY 2008 — SAQQARA, EGYPT — MODERN DAY —

photography by Janice

As we walked past the abundant water garden toured the guesthouse grounds, it was obvious that the gardener really knew what they were doing.

 

Here, I met my first Egyptian kindred soul, Bakr Fahmy. He told me that he started with a blue lotus seed and attempted to get them to germinate into the tuber that is the source of this magical plant.

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He lost every seed he tried to grow and had one last planting left before he was going to give up. Fortunately it grew and flourished! He now makes his starts from tuber cuttings (much easier and more successful) and mentioned that if I were to return in the summer the blooms would be amazing!

 

The traditional lunch glowed with the love and respect for the food and the diners that was missing from almost every meal we had in Egypt. It was Bakr’s wife that made this magic happen so wonderfully.

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They run this magnificent facility as a guesthouse mostly for visiting archaeologists working in the area.

 

The blue lotus (technically the water lily, nymphaea caerulea) is the sacred flower of Nefertum, as he is sometimes portrayed as having the flower rising out of his crown chakra.

The dining room was a gallery of actual dried blue lotus flowers and leaves arranged in balanced and symbolic ways on sheets of papyrus.

 

These excellent artworks collage elements of the real sacred plant, not some impression or representation.

 

As an obsessively discerning visual alchemist, it is here that I found the only artwork in all of my Egyptian journey that deeply resonated.

 

I bought this piece and Bakr even gifted me with a dried blue lotus of my own!

 

Thank you Bakr!

MAY 2008 UPDATE!

Bakr sent me these
photos of the blooms
coming out right now!

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JULY 2008 BAKR UPDATE!

Greetings again,
Thought you might like to see the yellow and white variety. Also, very pretty. The white lotus has been around since ancient times and it represents purity and healing. The yellow was imported during the New Kingdom...not sure from where....Each variety has its own vibes equally potent each in its own right....yet the Blue, the frailest of the three has the strongest energy...

Bakr Fahmy

If you feel inclined, please email Bakr (below) to let him know how much you appreciate his hard work.

BLUE LOTUS GUESTHOUSE
SAKKARA, EGYPT

See the new Blue Lotus Guesthouse website!

Make your reservations soon!
Contact: Bakr M. Fahmy
Telephone: +20 10 521 7619
bfahmy77@yahoo.com

Languages spoken: English, Français, Deutsch

     
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