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Letter from Berlin. . .

 Yours truly earlier today, sporting a new haircut, courtesy of a small Turkish-German place five minutes away.

We've been here in Berlin for a bit over three weeks, where my wife is teaching a summer course at The Frei Universitat on German films and Berlin, with three weeks left before we return home to East Lansing.  The weather here has been warm enough to keep things pretty casual where my son and I are concerned. 

 For example, I brought several pairs of chino shorts, and couple of knit short sleeve polo shirts, a madras, a seersucker, and a poplin shirt for example with my pair of Sperry dock-siders.  Truthfully, these have sufficed most days.  I did have the chance to put on some chinos, loafers, and a blazer last Friday evening to meet some colleagues of my wife's from The Frei Universitat.

 Sadly, I have not yet had occasion to wear either my maroon knit silk tie, or my Madras tie.  The few men I see in suits are usually poorly fitted suits with shoulders that are far ttoo boxy and sleeves that are far too long, but I'm nitpicking I suppose.  Most young men around here are pretty trendy, or stuck in the early 80s punk scene along with some ugly 90s tats and facial piercings.  Sorry for not being sorry about that, but there you are.

 I did spot a very nicely dressed young couple about two weeks ago on the U-bahn one warm afternoon.  Both were tall and blonde, but not excessively so.  He was very handsome and looked like a 1930s movie star with khaki shorts, a tucked in blue oxford cloth button-down, and (surprise) something akin to leather dock-siders.  She was stunning in a sleeveless black top, black shorts, and heels and two, or three understated pieces of silver jewelry.  They certainly stood apart from everyone else and were Germans (I heard them speaking).  So, there are people here in Berlin who get it.

-- Heinz-Ulrich


Cool enough today for tan Land's End cords and my Chucks!

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