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#@@§£^==~.                                          .~==^£§@@#
##@§£^==~.             ................             .~==^£§@##
@@££=~~...             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.          .~==^£§@@#
#@@§£^==~.                                          .~==^£§@@#
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