I am surprised that even I am getting used to walking on cobblestone and brick streets and sidewalks. My ankles and feet are stronger and tougher, I guess. On his morning walks, Dennis has come across three cobblestone quarries. The stones are split by hand into tiny cubes for sidewalks, and placed (by hand) one piece at a time, sometimes making repetitive patterns. Most of the newer sidewalks are made by laying bricks (by hand) in patterns. These stone and brick layers posed for us. Most of the streets are made by first laying a thick layer of fine white gravel, then laying large hexagon-shaped cobblestones (by hand) together, with about 1/4 to 1/2 inch spaces between them. Then they have been laid, workers shovel more fine white gravel over the top. As the cars and people pass over, the gravel bits settle into the spaces between the stones. These roads go for years without need for repair--but when they start breaking up, it will probably be years before the stones in the area will be replaced. Walking on broken cobblestones is the worst!
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