Pebble-Tek Question...What exactly is it?

Good Afternoon All...

I just recently purchased a new home in the Charlotte area of NC. The owners of the home recently (within the past 3 months) installed a gunite pool with a pebble tek finish and went on and on about how great pebble tek is. I don't even know what it is or why it's so much better than a non pebble-tek finish. Swimming pools aren't new to me. I've always had an inground pool but they have always been vinyl. I live in the Boston area and never believed gunite pools made sense in this part of the country because of the harsh winters and extreme temperatures. The gunite pool thing is all going to be new to me and the whole pebble-tek thing is even newer. Any feedback offered is greatly appreciated.

John from Boston

Pebble finishes are an exposed aggregate pool finish.
The applicator takes premixed bags of small tumbled and polished pebbles and mixes them with white cement and sometimes a coloring agent. Towards the end of the application they lightly water wash the finish to expose the uppermost portion of the pebbles. The next day the applicator will come back and acid/pressure wash the finish to remove chalkiness and better expose the pebbles.
This is an awesome pool finish, I'm certain you'll love it.

See ya,
Kelly