Day Six:
Monday we started lime washing the monument. Before that happened we removed the burlap and plastic that protected the replacement plaster (render) as it cured.
The south face in the morning sun
Antwa (the man in the lift) started by lime washing the top piece of the monument from the lift. In the space of the morning Antwa applied two coats of lime wash to the upper part of the monument.
Antwa lime washing the monument
After lunch we applied the first coat of lime wash to the body of the monument over the new and old plaster.
Day Seven:
This was our last day of production. I applied the second layer of plaster to the step between the monument and the granite blocks. Before the project is over one more layer will be applied.
The final lime wash was applied to the body of the monument and the granite blocks received their first layer. Then we cleaned up.
The monument before we started the restoration
The completed monument
Coenraad and Elizabeth invited me out to lunch (being the last day). It was quick back to the B&B for a quick change then off to lunch. On our way back to the plaza we ran into the project manager. He had arranged to have pictures taken for publicity about the Monumento de la Constitucion’s restoration. To say we were not camera ready was an understatement.
As it turns out I was wearing the t-shirt I was given when I worked on This Old House, Newton 2007 . For those of you who are interested in history you might check out This Old House, Charlestown 2000. This was my first project with them.
Coenraad and I posing for the finish shots
After dinner one night I walked by the monument. Because lime wash is so luminescent I wanted to see for myself the night time glow.
What a sight!
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