A Nordic princess, recently married to an Arab king and tormented by a desire to see her own snow-covered lands once more, became seriously homesick, which brought great sadness and pain to the King. His ingenious remedy was to order thousands of almond trees to be planted. When they were in blossom, he ordered all the windows of the palace to be opened. The princess was amazed at encountering field after field of white blossom. It reminded her of the snow-covered land of her own country and she was instantly cured.
A tribute thanks to my dear friend Jo in Portugal who shared this story with me and the festival that is held every year in the Algarve region in the south of Portugal. Thank you Jo!