§§^^^**«:,                                          ,:«**^^^§§
#§§§§^*«:,                                          ,:«*^§§§§#
###§§^*«:,                                          ,:«*^§§###
§§^^^*:,,,                                          ,,,:*^^^§§
@§*:,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,:*§@
###@§^*«:,             ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,             ,:«*^§@###
@§^««:,,,,             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.          ,,,,::*§§#
###@§^*«:,                                          ,:«*^§@###
##@§§^*«:,                                          ,:«*^§§@##
###@§^*«:,                                          ,:«*^§@###
§^«:,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,:«^§
#@§**««,,,                                          ,,,««**§@#
§^«,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,«^§