The two pics above are examples of modern hot air balloons. The left pic shows a view looking up inside the balloon from the gondola. (The gondola, or basket, is the part that the passengers fit into.)

The first hot air balloons were made in the late 1700's. They gave man a first taste of air transport. Modern recreational use began in the 1960's as light, less expensive materials became available.

To give the balloon lift, the air inside the balloon is heated, and becomes less dense than the surrounding air. Propane is used to heat the air. The trick is to acheive enough heat to lift the balloon without overheating the plastic walls.

When we make our yearly jewelry supply pilgrimage to Arizona, the cloudless blue sky around Quartzsite is full of colorful hot air balloons. We tried to capture the look and feel with the lampwork and gemstone bracelet above.