You might want to check with the local community colleges. I saw
some night time classes on laying masonary. I was thinking about
taking the classes for some of my projects. It might be worth
looking into.
Sure seems like horizontal exposed mortar joints would likely to be a maintenance nightmare. I just this spring/summer laid about 700 square feet of patio using concrete unipavers, dry laid on a sub-base of 4-6 inches of one-inch-minus road surface gravel covered with sand. If you prepare the sub-base well, the pavers, whether concrete or brick, can almost be dropped in place. All the paving bricks and concrete pavers I looked at were designed to have minimal spaces between. I used sand to lock in my pavers, though I might have gotten better results with rock dust. Water drains quickly through my patio and, presumably, follows the slope of the undisturbed soil away from the house. I will see this winter if freeze/thaw cycles cause problems, but I think my packed gravel sub-base should minimize that. In your climate, I would think that porous mortar joints would be a problem. Thinking of water-proofing the whole shebang?
Were those porches and patios covered with roofs? Just wondering. That would relieve at least some of the problems associated with water freezing in the mortar joints.
I live in west central Indiana and I have had no problems with my mortared patio. I poured a 4" slab which I left plain for a couple months until I could brick over it. I then set the bricks in mortar on top of the concrete. It is not very difficult. Good luck.
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