...^«:†%¤¶                                          ¶¤%†:«^...
..^«:†%¤¶@                                          @¶¤%†:«^..
.^«:†%¤¶@#                                          #@¶¤%†:«^.
^«:†%¤¶@##                                          ##@¶¤%†:«^
.^«:†%¤¶@#                                          #@¶¤%†:«^.
..^«:†%¤¶@             ................             @¶¤%†:«^..
...^«:†%¤¶             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.          ##@¶¤%†:«^
.^«:†%¤¶@#                                          #@¶¤%†:«^.
..^«:†%¤¶@                                          @¶¤%†:«^..
...^«:†%¤¶                                          ¶¤%†:«^...
....^«:†%¤                                          ¤%†:«^....
.....^«:†%                                          %†:«^.....
......^«:†                                          †:«^......