Roadwork: UNESCO World Heritage Style

"Why aren't they using heavy equipment? They would have been done days ago!" I heard someone say as they walked past. It's because we live in a UNESCO World Heritage site and this is an original part of Centro. Rule apply for keeping that status!

Everything in the restoration process in a designated historical district has to be done as the original builders would have done it in order to maintain this hard-won status. This includes removal of old material, laying new sand and gravel layers to build the road base, cutting new stones, mixing the concrete and slurry grout by hand, laying the new stones, and cementing them in place.

Get it level. Is that a traditional level? Nope. Apparently a few modern conveniences are allowed.

Laying the concrete under-layer. Not a concrete mixer in sight - unless you count the dude with the shovel and raw materials I saw who was mixing up the batches.

Approaching the final steps: Pouring a thin, hand-mixed slurry between the stones and wiping away the excess.

Morelia Centro, Michoacán México

January 2020