After years of yearning to return to Norway - our first trip in 1996 was cut to mere hours in the Oslo Airport due to a city-wide hotel strike, Jay and I returned 14 years later. This time with Mom in tow. This was not the first time we encouraged her to travel abroad with us, but this trip held personal significance.

Traveling from Oslo to Bergen, we climbed through the mountains on a train, cruised through the fjords and skirted high mountain roads on a bus in a torrential downpour.

We explored Hønefoss, the town where Mom's grandfather lived before immigrating with his family to the United States in 1887.

We experienced our heritage, but what we discovered was much more. We found Norway to be a land of quiet dignity where polite hospitality and assuredness prevails.