##@#@§†~,.                                          .,~†§@#@##
#@#@§†~,..                                          ..,~†§@#@#
@#@§†~,...                                          ...,~†§@#@
#@§†~,....                                          ....,~†§@#
@§†~,.....                                          .....,~†§@
§†~,......             ................             ......,~†§
†~,.......             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.          ..,~†§@#@#
##@#@§†~,.                                          .,~†§@#@##
#@#@§†~,..                                          ..,~†§@#@#
@#@§†~,...                                          ...,~†§@#@
#@§†~,....                                          ....,~†§@#
@§†~,.....                                          .....,~†§@
§†~,......                                          ......,~†§