Meeting John Kerry...

Today is a day I looked forward to for some weeks. It is the first day of the Brussels Jazz Marathon, a 3 day spectacle that I love. The Jazz Marathon is the first of a series of Jazz festivals - every major town or city in Belgium has one - and it is always a great opening shot! They do Jazz well in Belgium.

And it started well, with a great act featuring the music of Fats Waller and others of that ilk. I like it very much.

Apparently U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry also likes it, because he came and sat down a table but one away from us, and was clearly enjoying the music.

There was  incredible security around him, but I was never one to be intimidated by a bunch of dozy Yanks, so I wandered over to shake his hand and have a wee chat. And what a nice chap he is.

Kerry, of course, is a highly decorated war hero, and it was a great pleasure to exchange some private words with him.

I was impressed, and I cannot believe how young he appears. He must know a better beer than I do....