Tuesday 3/13/12: Trocadero (near Eiffel Tower), Musee d'Orsay

Signed up for Velib bikes again online, but the bike terminal was broken this time, so we never actually used it and the e1.70 per person went to waste.  Instead, we caught the bus to the Trocadero, from where we viewed the Eiffel Tower.  The weather was cold and foggy so we didn't go up in the tower, but the Trocadero affords a pretty spectacular view of the tower.  Photos generally, and these photos in particular, don't do it justice at all.  It's really beautiful and looms much bigger in person than it looks in the picture.

Walked around looking for a place to stop for coffee but the 16th is too rich for these tightwads.  Looked through a book shop - they still have those there - and realized everything was in French so we left.  Then took the metro down to the Musee d’Orsay.  It's only about two miles away, maybe less, but it took 3 different metro lines to get there.

The line to get through security was about 90 minutes.  A new exhibit on Degas nude paintings and sketches opened that day.  They were primarily pencil sketches and some paintings.  Most but not all of them were of women, and most were from a very specific angle, more or less from behind.  

There was one small sketch that was quite explicit – it took a second look to realize what it actually was - and I believe the description said that it was the only such drawing that had survived, and any others were likely destroyed by his family.

Also looked at their permanent collection of impressionism, including the classics such as Van Gogh’s self portrait.

Didn't take any pictures, but you can find probably all of them on their web site.