Traveling with the Dudleys

Our New Favorite Island

2011-05-29T11:36:00.004-04:00

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS

I know I said a few weeks ago tha Aruba was our new favorite island, but we've been here in Bermuda less than 24 hours and it is charging fast for the lead. Ther is so much to love about this country, the people, the food but most of all the views. The beaches and water are beyond words, so I'll post some photos to give you an idea.

Doing a little "Time Travelling"

2011-05-18T11:25:00.000-04:00

During this graduation season we have witnessed many celebrations of moving on to the next phase of life for many young people in the family. Whether it’s graduation from high school, college or an advance degree, this is a period of life which symbolizes movement. To many it means travelling to new environs to continue their education. To others it may mean travelling to a new job or promotion. Nonetheless, life is full of these escapades which create what we call the big picture of life.

This past week-end we did a different type of travelling, “Time Travelling”. Yes we went back in time to our 45^th high school reunion of the class of 1966 Booker T. Washington High School in the ATL. This is the oldest African American high school in the city and maybe the state. It has such luminous graduates as Martin Luther King Jr., (who actually left early as I did), Julian Bond, Maynard Jackson and the list goes on and on.

It was great to see so many young faces which have matured in to older faces but one always associates high classmates as they were then and not as they are now. I guess high school days hold a very special place in the hearts and memories of most people for a variety of reasons. I guess it the first time in life that male-female relationships start to blossom. It is also has a great influence on one’s socialization skills. High school, at least the summer before high school, is where I met Claudette, my wife of 44 years. There was a book out several years ago entitled “Everything You Need to Know, You Learn by the 4^th Grade” or something like that. I think everything you did in high school probably had more impact. One remembers the awkwardness, the feeling of not belonging sometimes, the slights, the victories and the defeats. We never know what impact those things had on who we became (Either because of or in spite of.).

It was nice travelling back in time this week-end.

Philly

2011-04-23T23:04:00.000-04:00

In Philadelphia for about four hours and already had a stromboli and cheesesteaks. The Reading Market was off the hook. Everywhere you turn there was a tantalizing treat staring you in the face. I feel like I am in a different country. What a drastic change from Texas and Oklahoma?

Travelling to South Beach without me.

2011-04-18T08:33:00.000-04:00

This past week-end, Claudette and Dee traveled to Miami to support Brandon at a talk he was giving at an ABA meeting. They tell me it was a rousing success. I had been gone so long from the job recently that I felt I needed to stay in the ATL. Miami is always a great destination. Some call it the financial capitol of Latin America. ( I am sure Rio, Sauo Paulo and Buenos Aires would proudly disagree). Nonetheless, any of these great cities could serve as my stopping grounds anytime. Great cities are like great people, always engaging always fun and leave you wanting more. So here's to Brandon, and the rest of the family who are living the "Champange Life". "Let's Toast it UP!!" . Photos from Miami (here).

It's Nice to be Home

2011-04-17T20:36:00.000-04:00

I told someone recently that there is nothing like sleeping in your own bed. During the last couple weeks Claudette hooked us up with some really fabulous accomodations in Dallas, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. All those places were comfortable and offered almost any ammenity one could wish for but the bottom line is home is where the heart is and my heart has always been in Georgia. We have been to the four corners of the globe but after you've seen the wonders of the world there is always one additional sight which brings joy and that is returning through customs in the ATL.

So as we sat on the deck this afternoon, we realized that we live a blessed life. So here's to the "Champange Life". So let toast it up(Photo).

2011-04-16T06:54:00.004-04:00

I say all the time, "You really don't know how big our country is until you travel from one end to the other". Not only is the country big but Texas is a country onto itself. During our time in Dallas we visited the new Cowboy stadium which is absolutely everything a stadium can be. I hate the dreaded Cowboys with a passion but I must give them there props when it comes to their facilities. (See Photos Here) . We also visited the Texas School Book Depository, where Lee Harvey Oswald fired those infamous shots. To me it underscored what hate can accomplish by just one person (or small cadre of people depending on your conspiracy thoughts). Claudette selected some outstanding hotels as usual and we discovered some great eating place. Ken Rathburn's ABACUS stands out as the highlight. The Buffalo Soldiers have taken on the legendary status of the Tuskegee Airman in recent years so it was great to see this great tribute to the Black Cowboys with the Dallas skyline as a back drop.(See Here)

We caught an afternoon train to OKC and got to meet and talk to passengers who were enroute to a small town south of Oklahoma City. The conversations were interesting and we got to see how varied and yet how much we have in common. I'll talk about OKC in a later post.

2011-04-16T06:50:00.001-04:00

https://picasaweb.google.com/darrelldudley/DallasBlackCowboys#slideshow/5596128241864204242

2011-04-16T06:42:00.001-04:00

Miami (Celebrating January Birthdays)

2011-01-29T23:45:00.004-05:00

Check out the Miami Photos

Over the weekend of the 29th we travelled to the beautiful city of Miami. Spent a little time at South Beach, got to see where the "rich and famous" live and soak in some marvellous Latin culture and food. Miami is truly a unique American city. Everytime we go we always say. "When we come back we are going to have to do this or do that." It appears the list grows each time.

New Years Eve 2011

2011-01-03T21:39:00.001-05:00

This year we decided to travel a short distance from Peachtree City to Mid-Town Atlanta to the Four Seasons Hotel. Whenever we spend the night in an Atlanta hotel we try to take on a visitor's persona and do things we don't routinely do in the ATL. We really acted like tourists. We spent the afternoon at the Salvador Dali exhibit which we have seen at least twice already. Then we went back to hotel and took a nap. At 9 o'clock we had dinner in the Park 7 restaurant where the meal was extraordinary and the service impeccable and perfectly paced. We finished dinner about 11:30. The band was great as we danced through dinner. As a teenager, I worked at this Jewish country club in North Atlanta called the "Standard Club" and I would watch what I thought were wealthy patrons eat, drink and dance their way through the night. I believed that they were special and I was there to serve and facilitate their happiness. I never thought that I would ever have the means or the opportunity to partake in such gala events. Here we were, two Grady babies, dressed to the nines and feeling like we were on a movie set creating our own movie. God is good and the world does turn. Sometimes we have to pinch ourselves to make sure that we are not dreaming. The older I get and the more I travel, I realize how blessed we are in this country and how far we have come. I think sometimes we forget that 150 years ago (four or five generations ago) our ancestors were slaves.That 80 years ago or less most of our ancestors were share croppers and lived in rural America and that 50 years ago Jim Crow laws were in full force and people like the former Governor of Georgia, Lester Maddox, could stand in the door way of his Atlanta restaurant and say, "no Blacks allowed". On this last day of 2010, we had only traveled about 30 miles in distance, but in our hearts and spirits we had traveled through time and memories we thought we had forgotten.

Happy New Year!

Chrismas in Chicago

2010-12-28T09:24:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend we had the pleasure of spending time with our children, Erika, Richard, Dee and Teddy. So often when we go to Chicago around Christmas time we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of shopping the Miracle Miles and pushing it to the limits. We did a little of that this year but did a lot of our shopping in advance.

This year we spent the majority of our time indoors and just enjoying one another as a family. It is nice to see your children become thoughtful and well rounded adults. It is also nice to know that your children enjoy being around you and sharing things with you. Dee is becoming quite the young man with a lot more insight and understanding than I have given him credit for. Erika and Richard are exceptional parents and Teddy is growing in statue and in intellect. We call him the little professor. Claudette is for ever the set designer who creates the environment for our memories to evolve and become real. And me, I am just the recipient of so much love and gratitude to enjoy another Holiday season with my family.

Claudette always says that "Love is the basis for anything good".

Cartegena Colombia

2010-11-28T04:22:00.002-05:00

I now realize just how large the African diaspora really is. As we travel around the world and especially the western hemisphere we see the impact of slavery in building European empires thus enabling these countries to thrive and dominate other countries for centuries. We also see the energy and vitality of people wanting to be us ( or at least live like us). Like most countries, you see the very rich and the very poor, but you also see a larger than expected middle class. Claudette has made the observation on many occasions that you can tell the prosperity of a country but looking at the type and condition of the cars you see on the road. Well if that is a true measure then Colombia is on the fast track. We have been here for less than 48 hours and we are already talking about coming back. More to come later.

2010-11-25T14:49:00.000-05:00

Today is a very lovely day here in Atlanta. I have thoroughly enjoyed having Erika and her family, from the time I picked them up to now and am looking so forward to enjoying the rest of the day with the rest of my family. I look forward to every minute with them until Darrell, Dee and I leave for Cartagena.

I'm also very thankful for so many blessings.

I'm thankful for life...

I'm thankful for my health and strength, both physical and mental...

I'm thankful for love...

I'm thankful for my family and friends who love me and understand me with all of my idiosyncrasies.....

I'm thankful for the surrounding beauty... the trees, the sky... the moon

I'm just Thankful!!!

Lots ofLove,

Claudette

2010-11-10T15:50:00.002-05:00

Last month after visiting Jamaica, I stated that with a little twist of fate I could have ended up a Jamaican (my ancestors could have been bought and sold to any Caribbean destination instead of the US.)

This month Claudette and I visited the Dominican Republic which gave us the opportunity to learn about a different part of the world. What was interesting is that after the slaves were freed in the US, the Grant administration proposed to send the recently freed slaves to the Dominican Republic. Around 1880 the Senate voted on his proposal and the tally was 28-28 (I guess there were only 28 states in the union at that time and a 2/3 majority was needed). Nonetheless, the effort to expatriate us was strong and without the opposition efforts by Frederick Douglass and other we may well have been Dominicans.

Darrell's Birthday Celebration in Las Vegas

2010-10-19T12:29:00.000-04:00

Hung out in Vegas over the long Columbus Day weekend celebrating my birthday. Had a great time lounging around the Four Seasons and enjoying all the things that only Vegas can offer. Went to see George Wallace who is dubbed the "New Mister Las Vegas" and he rightfully deserves the title.

Our 43rd Wedding Anniversary celebrated in Miami with Rita andTweet

2010-10-19T12:24:00.000-04:00

We visited South Beach with Rita & Tweet. We did about as much as you could do in 2 days; hung out in South Beach, ate at our favorite Cuban resturant 'Versailles", visited Viscaya, went to a Tiki resturant and just had a overall great time.

Jamaica "Mon"

2010-09-09T08:52:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, we had an opportunity to spend the long holiday weekend in Montego Bay and Negril. The beaches were beautiful, the food was great but most of all the people were such a joy to be around. Parts of Jamaica reminded me of the United States of the sixties and seventies, where a lot of people walked and used public transportation. People were friendly and willing to help if you seemed lost. But most of all they greeted you with a smile.

At one point I realized that I or any other African American could have been a Jamaican. One check of slave manifest form could have guided our futures to many of Carribean Islands or South or Central America countries. As Stevie would say, "God knew exactly where you should be placed".

Angelica performs "Rebuild" @ the Lincoln Memorial

2010-08-29T10:06:00.000-04:00

On August 28,2010, our niece, Angelica Tucker, performed her original composition,"Rebuild", on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial before a massive crowd. Only a few singers have accomplished that feat. We hope that this will propel her career to new heights. We are very proud of her.

ERT's Cont'd

2010-08-23T05:46:00.002-04:00

OMG! We just arrived in Venice last night and arrived from the airport by boat, waited in the lobby of their main hotel before zipping across the canal to our place, the Palladio. Wow! I will send photos of our suite and views (the best!) soon.

Love,
E
http ://www.bauerhotels.com/

ERT's Journey

2010-08-19T07:45:00.004-04:00

Erika, Richard and Teddy are on their annual trip to Switzerland and then on to Italy. Erika and Richard have always been well travelled and now Teddy's passport has more stamps than mine. The following is a taste of their current exploits..........It's been a bit cold and wet here so today, instead of going to the Caumasee, we took one of the hotel cars (Mini Coopers, free to guests) and drove to Laax where there is a gigantic assemblage of menhirs (upright standing stones) aligned to various equinoctial sunrises and maximal azimuths and so on. Some photos:

NYC

2010-06-02T19:54:00.003-04:00

Over the Memorial Day weekend, we (Claudette,Dee and I) visited NYC. We had forgotten how wonderful the Big Apple is. There is no shortage of things to do and places to eat. I must say the highlight of the weekend was seeing the play Fela (pronounced Fay-la). It was a musical and dance production like no other on Broadway. It had the energy of a James Brown concert and the artistry of an Alvin Ailey production. After Fela, Broadway has been transformed permanently for the better. It won't be long for other creative urban productions to hit the Great White Way.

angelica1.wmv

2010-05-15T07:39:00.000-04:00

2010-02-19T09:51:00.000-05:00

On February 7, as most people were watching the drumming that New Orleans put on the Colts, we were settling in for a 14-hour non-stop Delta flight to Dubai UAE. Having never gone to the middle east, except for Egypt and Israel, we were anticipating new and exciting experiences and Dubai and Abu Dhabi did not disappoint.