@@##¤*:~-. .-~:*¤##@@
#@##¤*:~-. .-~:*¤##@#
#@##¤*:~-. .-~:*¤##@#
@@##¤*:~-. .-~:*¤##@@
#@##¤*:~-. .-~:*¤##@#
@#***::~-. ................ .-~::***#@
@#*:--.... 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. .-~:*¤##@#
@###¤*:~-. .-~:*¤###@
#¤¤:-..... .....-:¤¤#
@##*::~... ...~::*##@
#¤*~-..... .....-~*¤#
@#¤:~..... .....~:¤#@
#@##¤*:~-. .-~:*¤##@#