This morning when I got out of bed, I had some severe issues that have been worrying me.

Friends and family wonder just what I do all day as an American Expatriate. I worry and I am good at it. So I thought I would share with you the life-shattering issues that worry me as an American Expatriate and that have been worrying me to no end.

Worry One: The Rainy Season. The rainy season is almost on us. We have about 6 weeks before all raining hell cuts loose on Guanajuato. So I have to plan just what am I going to do for fun and diversion while it’s raining outside and I cannot get out.

I will have to lay in a supply of extra hand towels to pack into the windows. You may not know this but all houses in Guanajuato leak like sieves and you have to stand vigil—day and night-over them when it rains. There is also the waterproofing plastic tape I will need to buy that I use to tape the small pinholes that spring up when I least expect it around the windows frames.

Guanajuato house builders do not build windows well.

My wife and I will also go about, in the next few weeks, checking out about 4,000 new books from the English lending library here so we have something to do between running from window to window checking for leaks.

We plan to do much more writing because that’s what we do and because our eyes will be swollen and ready to pop out of our heads from reading all of those books.

Worry Two: My infertile male parakeet. Don’t laugh at this. He isn’t. We raise Australian parakeets. It is a hobby we had when we lived in the States and have engaged in it afresh here in Guanajuato. We have a male parakeet that is having some difficulty getting his point across to the female—if you know what I mean and I think you do.

Poor Chucho.

We put him with an experienced female who has had two clutches with another male so we know it isn’t her. We’ve tried Chucho with two hens and alas, he isn’t getting the hang of things. He tries with all his little parakeet heart but the eggs, which the hen lays, turns out to be no good.

What are we to do?

I wonder if there is parakeet Viagra that we can sprinkle on his food. I’ve tried talking with him but that doesn’t do any good. We coach him and though things look like he’s dead-on center during "the process," it’s a no-go with infertile eggs.

Are there sex therapists for parakeets? Is he frustrated? Is the hen frustrated? Am I frustrated? Yes, I am!

Worry Three: My two Mexican parakeets. We also have a pair of what we were told are "Mexican parakeets." However, no one, and I mean no one, in Mexico knows what species these birds are.

We hit the Internet and corresponded with a parrot biologist who specializes in the parrots of Mexico. I sent him some pictures and according to this expert, these are NOT Mexican parakeets at all but illegally smuggled Brown-Throated Conures from St. Thomas Island.

Oh that’s just great.

We have these two birds, Rickie and Lucy, who are HOT and probably would get me at least 10 years in a Mexican prison bunking with someone named, Bubbito (that’s Spanish for Bubba).

We can’t unload them because they are our sweet babies and it would traumatize them (and me) to dump them. I won’t do it.

I wonder if Bubbito likes chocolate?

So there you have it. I do not lead a life of uncomplicated leisure here in Mexico. I have grave worries and concerns that fill my life with worrisome vexations.

Maybe Chucho needs sex-ed classes?

Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico.

His new book, Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country, can be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241

Mexico needs to do something about the behavior of Gringos who come to their country who are hell-bent on acting out the Ugly American Syndrome stereotype no matter what.

I concluded this after an early morning shopping trip with the wife to the local Supermarket. There I saw this 70-year-old hippie, with his gun moll, cussing up one aisle and down the other looking for liquor. Doesn’t that just figure? He ended his search with a screeching revelation,

"They don’t even have beer here for Christ’s sake!"

Why do Americans always want to attribute something mundane and worldly to Christ and for His sake? I mean, really, is it for Christ’s sake that this early morning lush was searching so diligently for some booze? Anyway.

So, off he marched after screaming loudly enough to wake the dead.

I have some ideas that Mexico could do to stem the ever-increasing tide of displays of the Ugly American Syndrome:

First off, Mexico could pass a stupid tax. Americans who insist on acting like horses’ butts in Mexico would be charged $50,000 pesos for each incident. I think this is a grand idea for Americans acting stupid in America too! What do you think of that? This money could be used to improve the infrastructure of the Colonial towns (like where we live!). But, after the tenth commission of a stupid act (which will take about 2 days), Americans would be deported immediately and without recourse.

Second, Mexico could enact a drunken bum or boozehound tax. There would be an allowance of three times you could appear in public WITHOUT falling down before you they would start taxing you. This would be particularly profitable in Puerto Vallarta where American drink to excess day and night.

We were in a little place in Puerto Vallarta once for breakfast when this couple came in and had three rounds of beer before their scrambled eggs and hotcakes came. We were told (because we asked the manager) that this goes on all the time. Americans are constantly drunker than skunks and are falling down all the time.

We saw more 75-year-old plus men stumbling around town like drunken sailors trying to pick up young coeds. Mexico could make a killing in Puerto Vallarta and no doubt the other resort towns as well.

The highest tax would be for each incident of The Ugly American Syndrome. This means that, each time you do the following, the Mexican government will charge you a tax of $150,000 pesos:

1. Insisting on paying for something with dollars because you are too lazy (or stupid) to get them changed into pesos. This would really be a moneymaker for the Mexicans since Americans do this routinely.

2. Telling the waiter who brought you EXACTLY what you ordered that you wanted a REAL taco.

3. Shouting English at a Mexican vendor or salesclerk as though will miraculously change them into a bilingual person.

4. Cutting your finger and toenails while in public. (This not only will get you taxed but a good slapping as well.)

5. Loudness or obnoxious behavior that is so typical of Americans when they come to another country. For example, statements like,

"Gee are all Mexican women this fat?"

"It sure is filthy here."

"Don’t they serve real beer?"

"These Mexican houses don’t suit our American tastes."

"Don’t you know how corrupt your government is?"

And so on!

There is more, much more, and the Mexican government would have to publish a handbook with hundreds of examples of the Ugly American Syndrome to be fair to the visiting or expatriating American. Perhaps they could use Rick Steves’ Europe Archives: Ugly American Sightings as a template for their handbook for Ugly Americans!

Check it out at: http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/archives/ugly.html

Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico. His new book, Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country, can be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241

Expatriate wannebees often ask us how we managed our expatriation to Guanajuato, Mexico. They want to know how we overcame the seemingly overwhelming logistics of deciding where to live, if it’s affordable, if there is reasonable medical care, how to find housing, can Americans find work, what about visas, and will the culture shock be too great to handle?

All of these questions are legitimate and answers are obtainable if you are willing to do the homework. If I had to narrow it down to two things that are the most important in your quest to expatriate to Mexico, I would say this: research and make an exploratory visit to the city of your choice.

First, take all the time you need to research the city or cites which you are considering. Read everything you can get your hands on–and more–about the regions in which you might be interested. The second thing is that, once you’ve narrowed your options down to the cities that most interest you, visit as many as you can afford.

This last suggestion, we have found, intimidates many with whom we’ve spoken about their expatriating dreams. If they aren’t well traveled, fluent in the language, or gutsy enough, this thought is a little overwhelming. We found ourselves in the same boat when we reached the point of research overload and it was time to go and have a look around. We were scared but determined.

What we decided to do is what we highly recommend to potential expats–go to language school. This is the perfect way in which to experience the culture, learn some of the language, and see what the country is really like in a safe and controlled environment in the city in which you may want live.

Attending a language school and staying with a local family, in the cities you are considering as your new home, will have the following advantages:

1) You will get “three hots and a cot.”

2) You will stay with a family, carefully screened by most reputable schools, who knows the city from the inside out.

3) You will have the support of the local family and school in case you get into a jam.

4) You will be able to see and experience genuine Mexican living in a worry-free environment.

You will get “three hots and a cot". We made our exploratory trip to Guanajuato in February, 2003. In the school we attended, we arranged for a home stay with a local family. We had fine accommodations with an upper middle-class family. The family maid took care of cleaning our room and making the bed just as in a hotel.

In some cases, you can get them to do your laundry–for a small tip. All of our meals were provided so we didn’t have to worry about finding restaurants three times a day. You have the option of eating out if you warn the host family ahead of time. The point is that all the arrangements for your needs are made through the school before you arrive. Most schools arrange to have you picked up at the airport when you arrive.

This is, in my opinion, a worry-free proposition. All we had to do is show up at the Guanajuato airport and there was someone to take care of us in a country we knew little about and with our having little to no travel abroad experience.

You will stay with a family, carefully screened by most reputable schools, who knows the city from the inside out. This is the perfect setup! If you are thinking of expatriating to Mexico, what better situation can you find but to be in the care of a Mexican family who knows the city–where to find a place to live, how to set up your utilities, which banks are the best, all the bus routes, moving services, handymen, maids to hire, etc. You can’t beat this!

We stayed with a host family when we came to language school in which the man was an influential lawyer inGuanajuato who knew everyone and anything you could conceive of needing in your expatriating adventure. This was perfect for us and this could work for you too. Networking with the locals is what will smooth your way in your desire to expatriate.

You will have the support of the local family and school in case you get into a jam. I was a nervous ninny at the thought of just booking a hotel and showing up in Guanajuato to do our exploratory mission. I mean, what did I know about traveling or living abroad? Nothing! So having this support system set up through a local language school who found us a wonderful family with whom to stay solved my anxiety.

You will be able to see and experience genuine Mexican living in a worry-free environment. What better way to see what life is like in Mexico but to live with a Mexican family? You have virtually all your needs to taken care of, freeing you to explore with almost nothing to worry about. It truly was the most relaxing trip we’ve ever taken.

A final tip is to be sure and write some former students, listed on the school’s web sites, to see what their experiences were at the school. Get a consensus, if you can, from the former students. We did this and were surprised that some listed on the reference page of the school’s web sites were honest enough to mention deficiencies.

Check out the web site, www.spanish-language.org/spanish_in_mexico.htm, to get you started.

A good search-engine term to use to find additional sites is “Spanish schools Mexico”. Type that in the search term box of any Internet Search Engine.

Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico.

His new book, Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country, can be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241

I am sick. I don’t know what’s wrong nor if what I have has an official name. Maybe they call it, "Ah-ha-now-you-can’t-breathe-well-and-feel-like-you-are-going-to-die virus. I don’t know. I will probably go to the doctor tomorrow if I am not feeling better.

Going to the doctor in Mexico is simply a delight. There are several reasons for my enchantment with going to Mexican doctors. One is that I can afford it. The best part, in fact, about going to the Mexican doctor is at the end of the visit when you have to pay less than $15.00 for an office call.

This is what you will hear your American doctor telling you,

"That will be all for today. Now be sure to pay your $150.00 DOLLAR office visit fee so you can help make the payment on my brand-new SUV. Be sure to take a look at it on your way back to your little rust bucket of a car. After all you are paying for it!"

You instead hear this from your Mexican doctor,

"That will be $150.00 PESOS (less than $15.00 USD). Oh thank you very much," the Mexican doctor tells you, "you are very kind."

Reason number two why I love going to the Mexican doctors is that, if you are a man, they do not ask you every single time to drop your pants to have a look at that worrisome prostate gland.

If you aren’t a man then you have no idea of how obsessive the American medical community becomes about your prostate gland after you reach a certain age! After I hit 45-years old, each time I would go see the doctor, any doctor, they would always want to know when the last time I had my prostate gland looked at.

I would go to the doctor for:

· A sore throat: "Oh, that red throat sure looks bad," the doctor would say, "but let’s have a look at your prostate while you are here."

· A cut finger requiring stitches: "There you go. That last stitch went in perfectly. Now strip off all your clothes, put on this gown, and I’ll be right back."

· An asthma attack: "Oh, oh, oh my God! The lungs sound fine but I think I hear something in your prostate gland. Quick, let’s have a look!"

· The neurologist slithers in:

"I think we need to look at your prostate."

"But doctor," you protest weakly, "I am here because my right leg has been numb for three months."

"Ah, yes. I think the prostate may be causing it. Bend over this table and let’s have a go at it, shall we?"

American doctors will go to any means to get to have a look at your prostate. It is as though they win some sweepstakes for the most prostate glands they get to "have a look at." I just don’t know!

The third reason I love going to the Mexican doctor is that they actually care about you. I am not making this up: They will call you at home, because they worry about your condition. If you are suppose to return to the doc for a follow-up visit and are one day late they call you to see if you are ok or what has happened to you. Can you even begin to fathom that?

When we came back from a Puerto Vallarta vacation, I contracted a jungle related rash. Don’t ask me how. I was not swinging from disease carrying vines or rubbing up against something I should not have been. I just caught this hideous rash.

My Guanajuato doctor was treating me. It was rather a severe case and he got worried when I didn’t return exactly on the 10th day he asked me to come back. So he called me up to see how I was doing.

I love Mexican doctors!

Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico.

His new book, Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country can be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241

Like many other aboriginal cultures around the world, the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic have made use of drums in some of their traditional music for centuries. Inuit drum dancing played a part in many special occasions such as births, marriages, an Inuit boy’s first hunt, changing of seasons, greetings for visitors or to honor someone who had passed away. News of these special events was spread by word of mouth and many Inuit traveled great distances to attend.

The Inuit drum called a qilaut was traditionally made from caribou skin with seal or walrus skin around the handle. Before, Inuit drum dancing was most commonly done by men but eventually both men and women performed it. There were various Inuit songs called ajaaja that were sung while drum dancing. In the past, many individuals had their own ajaaja songs that were unique to them and about their own personal life experiences. There were also many songs that were passed down through many generations of Inuit.

Like Inuit throat singing, the practice of Inuit drum dancing was banned by Christian missionaries for many years. Eventually, the Inuit regained their right to perform their drum dances. However, Inuit drum dancing is not as important today to Inuit life as it once was since western lifestyles have become such a big part of the northern Arctic. Inuit drum dancing is still sometimes performed at symbolic celebrations such as opening ceremonies for conferences, festivals, graduations and shows for tourists. Watching an Inuit drum dancer perform his or her music can be almost hypnotic and is one of the special treats from Inuit culture to be enjoyed by all. Inuit drum dancers are a common subject for Inuit art carvings and drawings. Inuit artists have even outfitted some of their animal subjects with Inuit drums.

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca, an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.

Spain´s flag (the national one) is as colorful as the country itself with its red and yellow horizontal triband.

The yellow stripe is in the middle and is twice as tall as each red band, and the height of the flag is two-thirds the width.

A simplified version of Spain´s coat-of-arms is pictured on the yellow band, towards the hoist side.

The Spanish coat-of-arms includes the royal seal, framed by the Pillars of Hercules, which represent Gibraltar and Ceuta on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar.

The red banners display the motto in Latin PLUS ULTRA, which means "More Beyond", alluding to Columbus´ discovery of the New World.

The two columns flank a shield that displays a castle, a lion wearing a crown, red and yellow vertical stripes, chain mail, and three fleurs-de-lis in an oval in the center.

An ornate red and golden crown sits atop the shield.

The flag used today in Spain was officially adopted on 19 December 1981. Previous to this, there had been an eagle on it as well but, in 1981, the eagle was removed, leaving the current red/yellow/red triband with crowned arms.

The red and golden-yellow colors of Spain´s flag were first used as long ago as the late 1700s by the King of Spain as he tried to easily differentiate his ships from those of other countries.

They were the original colors found within the coat-of-arms of both the Castile and Aragon regions of the country, the regions first united by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.

There is a legend that holds that the colors of the flag of Spain are derived from the bullfight arena, the red respresenting the blood shed and the yellow the sand of the arena! However, this is just a legend and not based on historical facts!

The pledge to the Spanish flag is called the "Jura de Bandera", meaning "Oath of the Flag".

Spain is divided into 17 different regions or autonomous communities and each community also has its own regional flag.

However, the red-and-yellow national flag of Spain is recognized by all Spanish regions.

Now that you know all about Spain´s flag, why not come on out here and watch one flapping in the warm, Spanish breeze?

Linda Plummer is webmistress of Top Tour of Spain providing comprehensive information on Spain for travel, food, language or living.

At first, all Inuit soapstone sculptures from the Arctic may look alike. However, there are variances in artistic styles among the different Inuit art producing communities. Although all communities produce Inuit sculptures featuring both animal and human subjects, some seem to do more animals while others do more people figures. Some communities make their subjects appear quite realistic with lots of high detail while in others, a more crude and primitive look is preferred. There are Inuit sculptures that have a highly polished finishes and some that are the complete opposite where they are left dull and unpolished.

Some areas specialize in producing small scale miniatures much like the artwork by their ancestors who first came into contact with white men. Inuit sculpture can range from quite conservative to bold or even wildly outrageous. Scenes can be playful like a piece depicting two Inuit children playing or with a sense of humor like a walrus waving. On the other end, transformation and shamanic pieces can look disturbing or even frightening to some. Hunting scenes can portray the gory realities of life and death in nature.

One thing that all Inuit sculptures have in common is that they show the fact that Inuit people have deep connections with their family life, their natural surroundings and spiritual beliefs. It is interesting to observe that even if some Inuit artists have converted to Christianity as their religion, they may still include Inuit spirituality and legends as a big part of their lives. This is portrayed in some of their Inuit sculpture and other artwork.

The differences in artistic style are partly due to the different types of stone and other materials available in each community as well as regional preferences. Of course there can be outside influences when Inuit artists travel from community to community. This is particularly the case with larger growing communities like Iqaluit which has seen an influx of Inuit from other parts of Nunavut ever since becoming its capital. One can find a variety and blending of Inuit art styles here. A longer version of this article which describes the different styles of Inuit sculptures from different Canadian Arctic regions can be found at the Free Spirit Gallery website.

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca, an online gallery specializing in Inuit Eskimo and Northwest Native American art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native Indian art as well as free eCards.

Gold is one of the metals taken from the earth and is probably the first metal known to man. Its first use has been traced back to 3600 B. C. and was probably originally obtained in Egypt, as the ancient methods of obtaining gold in Egypt are illustrated in early rock carvings. It is said in the book of Genesis that Abraham, in the twentieth century B. C., when he went out of Egypt, was very rich not only in cattle but in gold and silver both in dust and ingots. In Exodus xxv, 29, we read that Moses was commanded by the Lord to make spoons of gold for the Tabernacle. In the writings of Homer, Sophocles, Herodotus, Pliny and others, gold is frequently mentioned.

Gold is widely distributed in nature and is found in many ways and in all parts of the world. It is found in water, in the ice of Alaska, in the sand of South Africa, and in the quartz of Colorado, and is frequently found native, though usually alloyed with silver or iron. The purest specimens of native gold have yielded from 96 to 99 per cent, pure metal.

It is remarkable that all of the races of mankind have selected gold as the first and chief representative of value. In the earliest times it was used as a medium of exchange in the form of bars, spikes and rings; the rings could be opened and closed so that a chain could be made for convenience in carrying. Gold was also used at a very early period for the construction of personal ornaments, as the savage found it easy to beat out the pure ore into circlets to adorn his limbs. The universal use of gold in preference to all other metals is due to its many properties; its color and luster, its malleability and its indestructibility. Gold does not tarnish nor can it be destroyed. It may be reduced to a liquid and the liquid transferred to a powder, and the powder when melted in a crucible returns to its natural state. It is the most malleable of all metals and has been hammered into leaves 1-282,000th of an inch thick. An ounce of gold may be drawn out into a wire fifty miles long. The tenacity of gold is seven tons per square inch.

Pure gold, being too soft for all ordinary purposes, is generally alloyed with other metals. Silver and copper are the principal alloys used, although iron is used in small quantities for different purposes. Pure silver has a brilliant white color and is the whitest of all metals. No metal surpasses silver in its luster and hardness it ranges between pure gold and pure copper. It is more fusible than copper or gold, melting at a bright red heat or at 1873F. It is commonly used for the purpose of alloying gold in its pure state, but if too much is added it makes the gold pale. Pure copper is the only metal that has a reddish appearance. It is both malleable and ductile; hence it is very useful as an alloy for gold.

For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com

Stones have been worn by both women and men since prehistoric times. Just as in the jewelry of modern times, beautiful stones, rare and colorful, are most often the dominant feature of a piece with a metallic setting for ornamentation.

The stones used in the crafting of fine jewelry are generally divided into two classes- precious stones and semi-precious stones.

These terms are used heavily in the commercial world of jewelry when considering variety and value. While artistic merits are only a matter of opinion, the value of a stone is what it will bring in the marketplace. It should also be mentioned that many people, collectors and general consumers alike, prefer the rare to the beautiful.

These stones are simply rocks (minerals) taken from the earth, and after they have been enhanced by the artisans cutting and polishing, the finest and rarest of them are what we call gems.

Precious Stones

The most precious stones are the diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires. The pearl is oftentimes classed with precious stones. Although strictly speaking while it is not a stone it holds an esteemed place in jewelry.

Semi-Precious Stones

A large number of stones used in jewelry are known as semi-precious; the most important ones are as follow: amethyst, lapis-lazuli, turquoise, aquamarine, topaz, moonstone, peridot, opal, tourmaline, zircon, chrysoberyl, alexandrite. Others of less importance although much used are: chrysoprase, jade, garnet, agate, azurite, malachite, bloodstone, coral, carnelian and many others. These stones while comparatively common and inexpensive are indispensable to the worker in jewelry. The variety of colors to be had in these stones make it possible to produce unusual designs of artistic merit and to adapt them to the personality and costume of the wearer. For more detailed information regarding gem stones the reader is referred to “Gem Stones” by G.F. Herbert Smith, also “The Curious Lore of Precious Stones,” by George Frederick Kunz.

For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com

Blown glass, a very ancient technique, is the oldest among the handicrafts. It is said by some, that ancient Egyptians were the original inventors of glass making techniques. Production of metallurgy and faience helped a great deal in the manufacture of glass afterwards. The earliest Egyptian glass known to us was in the form of small beads and pendants found in sites dating back to the 3rd millennium B.C. At that time glass was made by melting a combination of silica-sand, lime, and soda. The interaction of the heated soda and the hot sand formed a transparent flowing liquid, which was then permitted to cool forming glass.

The first glass vessels appeared in Egypt in the middle of the 2nd millennium B.C. These were made by the technique of molding on a core made of mud and sand to form the shape of the vessel’s interior. Then the core was submerged into viscous molten glass. Once the vessel was cold, the core had to be scraped out.

At that time, glass was regarded, as an artificial semi-precious stone and it was a costly novelty material, most likely the aristocracy owned no glass workshops since it was a royal monopoly.

The decline of royal power after the end of the New Kingdom put a stop to glass production for a time. Not till the Greco-Roman Period did new Egyptian glass centers arise in the Hellenistic cities of Alexandria and Naucratis.

The revolutionary invention of glass-blowing took place, probably in Syria, during the 1st century BC, though the technique did not reach Alexandria until the latter half of the following century when it was introduced by the Romans. The new discovery widely increased production and glass then ceased to be either a rarity or an upper-class prerogative.

Blown glass vessels were created by sticking a piece of molten glass onto one end of a blowpipe and through the other end introducing pressurized air into the pipe. This was done by mouth blowing. At that stage, the art of transformation into attractive shapes began. It was then cut with a copper wheel and ground with emery powder. After the vessel took its shape, decorations were added by pinching the hot glass, adding handles or other features to it, changing simple straight patterns into more intricate ones. After the coloring and hand painting process was completed, the bottles were put into a furnace with a very high temperature to set the color on the glass so that it is permanent. Afterwards, the bottles needed to be left out to cool. Then they were ready.

Nowadays, blown glass products are still made the same way our ancient ancestors used to make them. No extras are used but the very primitive tools used 7000 years ago and the golden fingers of the Egyptian craftsmen.

A. Basel
http://WWW.bazaarway.com