Concrete Finishing

I watched a sidewalk installation in Tamarindo, Costa Rica for several weeks. It was very different than what I am accustomed to. First, the forms were not stripped for more than a week. The fresh pour did not see a trowel or screed or edger. The workmen actually walked on the new sidewalk and left footprints. After the forms were stripped, the concrete was finished by grinding it. Edging was accomplished with an angle grinder and a piece of 1X as a sort of jig. A floor buffer with an abrasive pad was used to smooth the sidewalk. There were guys bent over using angle grinders to remove the footprints and imperfections in the pour. It took almost 4 weeks to finish about 150 yards of sidewalk in this manner. I have never seen anything like this.