#@@#%§†«~.                                          .~«†§%#@@#
@@@#%§†«~.                                          .~«†§%#@@@
#@@#%§†«~.                                          .~«†§%#@@#
#@@#%§†«~.                                          .~«†§%#@@#
###§§«~...                                          ...~«§§###
#%%†««....             ................             ....««†%%#
#@@#%§†«~.             the alvar fields             .~«†§%#@@#
@@@#%§†«~.             %%%#@#@#@#@#@%%%             .~«†§%#@@@
##§«~~~~..                                          ..~~~~«§##
#%§†««.... from   north  to   south,   thirty   odd ....««†§%#
##§«...... kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four ......«§##
@##§««.... thousand  meters. from topsoil to stone, ....««§##@
@@##%§†«~. a foot or two.  no roots can  fester, no .~«†§%##@@
@#§«......             dust can linger.             ......«§#@
##@@#§†«~.                                          .~«†§#@@##
@#§††~~... here  is  earth, clay,  and  sturdy  low ...~~††§#@
##§§««~... plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ...~««§§##
#%%†«~~... earth is  bare  in  patches  as large as ...~~«†%%#
#@@#%§†«~.               you and me.                .~«†§%#@@#
@@@#%§†«~.                                          .~«†§%#@@@
##@@%§†«~. cross it to get to  the ocean, or  don't .~«†§%@@##
@@@#%§†«~.          to stay where you are.          .~«†§%#@@@
@@#%§§†«~.                                          .~«†§§%#@@
#@@#%§†«~.                                          .~«†§%#@@#
@@%§§§†«~.                                          .~«†§§§%@@
#@@#%§†«~.                                          .~«†§%#@@#
#@@#%§†«~.                                          .~«†§%#@@#
@%§§§†«...                                          ...«†§§§%@