nycsc4, sorchin, sloppet, Fabiocb, Eastwinn: thanks a lot for your comments, I hope you like what's to follow in a few moments and later on.
pjot: the only thing I have done to better the end of rivers is to keep plopping into the sea until it blends more or less with the water texture:
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Creating rivers using SimCity tools isn't that great either because you end up with waves in the river instead of a river flow, and you can't do anything if you want them over highlands. Nothing's perfect. I also tried to plop rivers using Pegasus stream kit, but jeronij's mod is more flexible for long watercourses (though not that cute).
aleking: Oh wow, thanks for suggesting me that rock mod. It's really cool! It mixes very well with maxis terrain and the snow. My only complain is that the mesas cliffs become too rocky... nothing to worry too much about; I can plant some more bushes to hide the imperfections a little bit.
Mesa before Peg limestone Image hosted by imgcity.net
Mesa after Peg limestone Image hosted by imgcity.net
Update 04
A few more facts extracted from
SIMPROPOLIS INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (SIA)
SIA -- The World Factbook -- Talvakia
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Introduction
BACKGROUND A land of geographical diversity, the region of Talvakia remained uninhabited until very recent times, when the first explorers from the Far West (that was the name of the country) visited its coasts in search of the Legendary Talking Whale. Of course they never found it, but it took them 40 years to find their way back home. During that time, they established a temporary settlement in the island of Mesmer, from where they commanded the exploration of the lands across the Barrunto Sound and claimed them for the crown of Hispadora (the Royal House). After the explorers went back home, all settlements were totally abandoned.
Many years later, during the reign of King Chretin Labestia, king officials returned to the area, fortified the entire island of Tanatos, and converted it into a giant prison for the exiles of Hispadora (as the Court used to call all those opposed to the Rolling Ruler). The King and his supporters thought that was a good idea because no one would dare to escape from there, fearing --what else?-- the Legendary Talking Whale. When the immates found the legend was but a lie --accidentally discovering the now extinct farting fish in the way-- they escaped en mass to the shores of the Barrunto Plain and spread all around the place. They remained hidden in the forests of Barrunto until the king's death a couple of years later. When that happened, the exiles came out of the woods and founded Barrunto, the first city of Talvakia.
Geography
LOCATION somewhere in the middle of nowhere, north of the south, east of the west, south of the north, west of the east, and slightly under the sky.
CLIMATE temperate; mild windy winters, easy breezy springs, cool busy summers, and cocky neat autumns; rainy today, sunny tomorrow.
TERRAIN small, scattered plains almost everywhere; glaciated mountains in the northwest; rugged mountains here and there broken by fertile valleys; southern coast of the bay deeply indented by minifjords.
ELEVATION EXTREMES lowest point: sea level 0 m highest point: Pico Agudo, in Beriel (eastern Talvakia).
NATURAL RESOURCES iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, diatomite, silver, fish, timber, coal, natural gas (usually they don't report their supplies of chocolate cakes, potato chips, corn flakes, bubble gum, and other similar delicatessen).
NATURAL HAZARDS rock slides near steep mountains, cone slides in the forest; waterspouts can occur in Barrunto Sound and the Nalio Strait.
ENVIRONMENT - CURRENT ISSUES air pollution and resulting acid rain affecting western plains; vehicle emissions impacting on pedestrian activity; some waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial, and forestry activities; deforestation.
GEOGRAPHY - NOTE strategic location between this place and there; excellent bay for maritime activities.
People
POPULATION 210,000 (est.), 60% of them in the city of Barrunto.
NATIONALITY noun: Talvakian(s) adjective: Talvakian
ETHNIC GROUPS incredible mix of every imaginable ethnic group, and no complains
RELIGIONS unspecified 15%, unaffiliated 10%, whatever 75%
LANGUAGES English (official), French (official), Spanish (official), traces of other languages (official)
LITERACY definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (est.) male: 100% female: 100%
Government
COUNTRY NAME conventional long form: none conventional short form: Talvakia
GOVERNMENT TYPE No one knows for sure how to call it
CAPITAL Oshem Oshem, commonly known as Oshem.
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS 49 cities grouped into 5 provinces; each province has its own capital, locally called caputs: Annande (c. Cleve), Elinoria (c. Tul
