#@;:......                                          ......:;@#
###¤@%;~:.                                          .:~;%@¤###
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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.          .:~;%@¤###
####¤@%;:.                                          .:;%@¤####
¤@;~:.....                                          .....:~;@¤
###¤@%;~:.                                          .:~;%@¤###
##@@;~~...                                          ...~~;@@##
#¤%%;::::.                                          .::::;%%¤#
###¤@%;~:.                                          .:~;%@¤###