..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
.........^                                          ^.........
........^~                                          ~^........
.......^~*             ................             *~^.......
......^~*†             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.          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
.........^                                          ^.........