.,~\†%§@##                                          ##@§%†\~,.
.,~\†%§@##                                          ##@§%†\~,.
.,~\†%§@##                                          ##@§%†\~,.
.....~\\%§                                          §%\\~.....
.,~\†%§@##                                          ##@§%†\~,.
.,~\†%§@@#             ................             #@@§%†\~,.
.,~\†%§@##             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.          #§†~~,....
...~\†%§@@                                          @@§%†\~...
.,~\†%§@##                                          ##@§%†\~,.
.,~\†%§@##                                          ##@§%†\~,.
.,~\†%§§§@                                          @§§§%†\~,.
.,~\\\\%@@                                          @@%\\\\~,.
......~†%@                                          @%†~......