The sidewalks in the U.S. tend to be huge slabs of concrete sectioned off every yard or so. These sidewalks are poured into a form made from wood planks usually, and they are left to cure in place, which gives people plenty of time to sign their name and figure out other ways to mark up the concrete before it sets. In Blago, the paving stones are brought in and fitted one to the other by craftsmen. The people who lay the stone, lay each one by hand and pound it gently into place. When they get to a place that needs a straight edge, they smash the paving stone so that it fits correctly.
The first type of paver is an “I” shape, like a steel I-beam. The second type of paver is shaped like fat lightning. Its ends are flat, and its sides are jagged. The third type is an arc where each brick fits into the inside of the arc, and they cascade together through the landscape. These pavers have advantages. Aside from providing jobs for the people who have to lay them, they can be made during the long winters and wet seasons. They can be transported to where they are needed, and when there are any left over, they can be stored. Because these pavers can be made in different colors, the sidewalks can be decorative as well as functional. There is also no way for anyone to engrave them with a twig or their finger. Of course, they are more easily stolen before they are put into place, though concrete that hasn’t been mixed yet may also be stolen. People do roller skate and skateboard over them; I wouldn’t recommend it.
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