@¤**~~.... ....~~**¤@
¤**~~..... .....~~**¤
**~~...... ......~~**
*~~....... .......~~*
~~........ ........~~
~......... ................ .........~
~~........ 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. .........~
~~........ ........~~
*~~....... .......~~*
**~~...... ......~~**
¤**~~..... .....~~**¤
@¤**~~.... ....~~**¤@
@@¤**~~... ...~~**¤@@