A misstep

So after the previous two days and the delight of meeting people by accident I declined the offer to head out from the hotel with A and S and instead decided to go out on my own to begin with and then maybe meet up with people later in the day. A reasonable plan and it started off okay - visiting the Jardin des Plantes across the river from Bastille. Two lovely avenues of trees, with dappled sunlight on the paths. Popular with joggers too and I sat a while and watched the world go by, sometimes more than once, as they came round for another lap of the park. From there I wandered out onto the streets until eventually hopping onto a metro to take me to Champs de Mars and a wander through the park. More photographs of runners on tree-lined paths, but like my afternoon, not quite right.
I thought a change of location might help, onto the metro again to cross over to the other side of the river. Out at La Madelaine for a walk around the 8e arrondissement. Round the back of the Elysee Palace and the US and British Embassies. Lots of police about, and barriers to stop you walking on one side of the street. In fact I got stopped and they asked to see in my rucksack - just a cursory look though. Nothing to photograph really as I didn't fancy potential hassles with police.
Another Metro ride (really taking advantage of my travel card!) back to the south side of the river continuing my rather erratic journey. Out into the sunshine and a seat on a bench in Place de la Sorbonne, close to the famous university. A group of boys were playing around the fountains in the square, splashing each other using a ball. Eventually I decide to move on, round to the Pantheon but unfortunately it was just closing for the night.
A walk through the Latin Quarter in the early evening - shops all still open, people doing their food shopping on the way home from work. Even time to pop in to see the ancient roman amphitheatre. Despite the life and colour all around it felt a bit flat on my own so it was great to get a text from S and be able to arrange to meet her and A for some food. Into the heart of chinatown where I met them waiting for a table at a really busy little restaurant on the Avenue de Choisy. We enjoyed some simple food - for me a chicken noodle soup, brought to the table with a plate of leaves and bean sprouts and some sauces and chopped chillies. Mix to your own taste. Some good food and another nice meal spent in great company. And a pleasant postprandial stroll when A's camera attracted a fair bit of positive attention. People asking her if she wanted to take their picture. The advantage of an old film camera!
Which brought home to me the misstep I'd made so casually at breakfast time - I'd probably have had a better day with some more company.
A lesson learned.