Bring home the rich earth colors and character of the Mediterranean. A hand- blown piece of art from Malta, a tiny island country 58 miles south of Sicily, lets you keep the Med in sight at all times. Maltese glass factories must import the natural ingredients necessary for glassblowing: sand, lime and soda ash. But the talented artisans are island-born. They draw out iron, cobalt and other minerals to produce a deep green, blue and brown palette that reflects the hues of the island. In Malta's Mdina, Valletta and Gozo Glass factories, watch glassblowers create individual masterpieces from small colored glass beads. Or if you're short on time, visit Artisan Crafts Centre at Freedom Square in the city of Valletta, which has an extensive selection of glass from all three factories. Look for multicolor vases, perfume bottles, paperweights, glass necklaces & other artwork -- all of which can be expertly bubble-wrapped and carried in your hand luggage on your journey home.
