###§$*~:..                                          ..:~*$§###
####§$*~:.                                          .:~*$§####
###§$*~:..                                          ..:~*$§###
##§$*~:...                                          ...:~*$§##
#§$*~:....                                          ....:~*$§#
§$*~:.....             ................             .....:~*$§
$*~:......             the alvar fields             ......:~*$
*~:.......             §§§##########§§§             .......:~*
~:........                                          ........:~
:......... 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.             .......:~*
$*~:......                                          ......:~*$
§$*~:..... here  is  earth, clay,  and  sturdy  low .....:~*$§
#§$*~:.... plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the ....:~*$§#
##§$*~:... earth  is bare  in  patches as  large as ...:~*$§##
###§$*~:..                you and me.               ..:~*$§###
####§$*~:.                                          .:~*$§####
###§$*~:.. cross it to get  to  the ocean, or don't ..:~*$§###
##§$*~:...          to stay where you are.          ...:~*$§##
#§$*~:....                                          ....:~*$§#
§$*~:.....                                          .....:~*$§
$*~:......                                          ......:~*$
*~:.......                                          .......:~*
~:........                                          ........:~
:.........                                          .........: