.~«;%¤§###                                          ###§¤%;«~.
..~«;%¤§##                                          ##§¤%;«~..
...~«;%¤§#                                          #§¤%;«~...
..~«;%¤§##                                          ##§¤%;«~..
.~«;%¤§###                                          ###§¤%;«~.
..~«;%¤§##             ................             ##§¤%;«~..
...~«;%¤§#             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.          ##§¤%;«~..
...~«;%¤§#                                          #§¤%;«~...
..~«;%¤§##                                          ##§¤%;«~..
.~«;%¤§###                                          ###§¤%;«~.
..~«;%¤§##                                          ##§¤%;«~..
...~«;%¤§#                                          #§¤%;«~...
..~«;%¤§##                                          ##§¤%;«~..