PREPARE for back to school

It’s that time again. You know the drill: early mornings, late nights doing homework and more traffic! But it can be done with the right equipment — from stationery to the perfect wardrobe, here are a few places where you can find the digs your kid will need to keep up with the school year ahead:

Khodeir Stationery Stores are conveniently located just about everywhere: Beirut St. in Heliopolis, Abu Bakr El Seddiq St. in Dokki and Brazil St. in Zamalek, just to name a few, carrying every imaginable tool your kid might need. The store 2-Play, located in CityStars Mall, El-Obour Buildings and Nile City Towers is the perfect place to go for that hard-to-dress age, also known as the ‘tween’ period; it has some great styles that will keep your kids looking cool and comfortable. (MH)

Fasting through a hot, hectic September day can stress out even the most serene of people. But what is even more frustrating is sitting in a buzzing restaurant waiting for ages for your iftar and then dealing with the disappointment that comes with finally being served tasteless food prepared in the rush of Ramadan. When you just don’t want to go through the hassle of reservations and hours of waiting, simply take out your favorite meal and head out to the Nile. Rent a felucca and set adrift for a soothing iftar. Feluccas can be found all along the Corniche, specifically in Maadi, or at the famous Dok Dok opposite the Four Seasons Downtown. Beware of being taken for a ride: don’t pay more than LE 40 for an hour, but don’t forget the tips too. (NS)

The Al-Hussein Mosque is said to hold the head of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who was killed during the Battle of Karbala in Iraq. According to popular legend, a woman named Fatima — better known as Omm El-Gholam (Mother of the Boy) — smuggled the martyr’s head from Karbala to Cairo to give it an honorable burial. As the story goes, after Fatima’s own son died in the Battle of Karbala, despite her deep grief, she removed his head and left it in place of the head of Al-Hussein; she then took the imam’s head and left for Egypt, leaving the remains of her son behind. She smuggled the relic past guards by telling them she was taking her deceased son’s head to be buried with his relatives.

The mausoleum of Omm El-Gholam lies beneath the recently renovated Mosque of Sultan Bardabak, accessed from the street by stairs near the mosque door. There are actually two revered ladies resting in peace there: Omm El-Gholam and a woman named after the Prophet’s daughter Fatima Al-Zahraa, believed to be a sherifa (a descendent of the Prophet PBUH).

From Hussein Square, walk down Omm El-Gholam Street (one street to the right of Al-Hussein Mosque) toward the neighborhood of Gamalia and Bab El-Nasr. Sultan Bardabak Mosque and the mausoleum are on the left after about 500 meters. (KD)

Ramadan is a time to give back, and serving iftar to the less fortunate can feel just as good, oftentimes even more gratifying, than eating out. If you can afford to, hold your own maidat rahman (charity table for iftar). If that proves too expensive you can either help by offering your services, offering to cater or simply donating money. Many orphanages, charity houses and independent organizations hold charity tables throughout the month, including Risala, Mostafa Mahmoud mosque and many others. You’ll find television ads bombarding viewers throughout Ramadan guiding you on where to go or how to help, or just stop by your local mosque and ask. Alternatives to charity tables are food packages, where charity organizations put together sacks of different staple needs; beans, rice, sugar and so on, and distribute them to the needy. You can either do this individually, or through an organization. Remember, whatever you choose to give, it doesn’t always have to be big — you can simply give to the people in need around you. (NS)

Work off the day’s stress — and lose all those pounds you’ve been piling on at the iftar table — at Shake’n Shape fitness and dance studio in Heliopolis. There are a number of different dance classes to choose from, including salsa and belly dancing in addition to ballet and yoga. Stuck with the kids? That’s no longer an excuse because at this studio you can throw them in drawing lessons while you enjoy your workout. (HO)

Shake’n Shape 39 Shams El-Din El-Zahabi St., Ard El-Golf, Heliopolis Tel: +2 2414-1521 / (010) 628-1010 Website: www.shakenshapestudio.com

This is an old-time Ramadan favorite, whether for iftar, sohour, shopping or a good shisha. If you are going for a meal at one of the popular haunts (favorite kebab joints El Dahan and El Ahd El Gedid top the list) get there early to ensure a place and an on-time meal. If you’re going for sohour, don’t worry about timing, you can go as early as 10pm or as late as just before dawn — you’ll still find the Khan buzzing with people eating, smoking shisha, roaming around or heading out for prayers. If you simply want to sit and enjoy your shisha, the Naguib Mahfouz coffee shop is a posh option that maintains a traditional ambiance, while El-Fishawy is more traditional. (NS)

Al-Azhar Park is always popular throughout the year, but in Ramadan the gardens come alive with a unique ambiance. Perched above Old Cairo with a breathtaking view of well-manicured greenery, the park’s main restaurant, Studio Misr, serves up traditional grilled meals to the strains of live Oriental music. Go early to place your order and make sure you reserve way ahead of time as the place is almost always fully booked. (NS)

It’s September and the summer season is on its way out did you get that bronzy tan that brings out the sexy you? If not, then there are a variety of self-tanning products available on the market, all promising to add that much-craved caramel-coated shade to your skin while avoiding the dangers that accompany natural, sun-induced tans: the deadliest form of skin cancer, not to mention the horrors of aging skin.

Self-tanning products vary from lotions to gels, sprays and pills — all of which take around three hours to work their magic. Another way to induce a luscious darker shade is through bronzers. Popular products include Clinique Self Tanning Body Mist and Clarins Instant Self Tanning Gel with prices ranging from $9-$30. (DY)

Nothing says spiritual Ramadan like a typical Sufi dervish performance. For a traditional Ramadan night out, pay a visit to the Dervish Theater. It’s the real deal, not one of the widespread touristy knockoffs. Located near the Citadel, the theater lies on Suffia Street, off Salah El Din square. The building itself has magnificent architecture and is beautifully decorated. The whole area is breathtaking, with grand mosques and intricate architecture lining the streets; we recommend taking a walk around the surrounding streets before the performance for a true feel of old Cairo. (NS)

If you’ve always wanted to be creative but never found a place to do it, venture out to the Saqqara Road near the village of Haraniya, to Wissa Wassef’s Art Center. Founded in 1952 by Ramses Wissa Wassef as an effort to encourage young, uneducated Egyptian villagers to release their artistic creativity, the center has since managed to make a name for itself with its unique collection of tapestry weavings that are popular both in Egypt and abroad. Looking around the lavish galleries of the Center’s studios and museums (open daily from 10am till 5pm), you’ll be amazed at these villagers’ expression of specialized art. If you’re interested in catching the weavers at work, visit around 9am to noon and 2pm to 5pm any day except Thursday afternoons and Fridays. Tapestries are available for sale. (DY)

Wissa Wassef Art Center Four kilometers down the Saqqarra Road near Haraniya (follow the signs or ask for directions) Tel: +2 (02) 3385-0403 / 3384-3104.

Dahab is known more for what’s under its waters than what is next to it, with most of the coast lined with Bedouin-style cafés and restaurants. But at the southern end of Dahab’s paved promenade lies one of the few sandy beaches not snapped up by an upscale hotel. Locals call it The Islands after the dive site there; stalagmite-like corals surround sandy-bottomed pools just offshore. The shallow floor and sheltered pools offer safe harbor for marine life, and you can see lots of fish with just a mask and snorkel. The beach has no admission charge and no amenities, so pack a towel and a picnic. (KD)

Security concerns in the 1980s and 1990s seriously curtailed travel for non-Egyptians in Middle Egypt, but now Minya, 245 kilometers south of Cairo, is back on the tourist map. And for very good reason: The area is home to at least 15 Pharaonic, Christian and Islamic monuments. Minya is best known for Tel El-Amarna, where the eighteenth-dynasty Pharaoh Akhenaton established his city and cult to the sun god Aton. The palaces and temples are little more than rubble now, but the rock-cut tombs have well-preserved scenes carved in the soft curvy detail distinctive to the art style of the era. Other must-sees are the eleventh- and twelfth-dynasty nobles’ tombs at Beni Hassan, with fascinating drawings of wrestling, hunting and carnival-like entertainers. After a long day hiking among the mountains, take a break in the Nile-side park to watch the sun set. (KD)

Minya Tourist Office Tel: +2 (086) 237-1521  et