Basic HTML Version
“Of course, madame, it would be
my pleasure,” he says and bounds out of
the hotel’s revolving door, beckoning the
doorman to remove my luggage from the
trunk. Meanwhile, a clutch of admirers
appears beside the car, with one posing
beside it while another snaps a picture.
Yes, the GranCabrio is a very a ractive
car, but its appeal goes deeper than that. It
carries an air of glamour, too. Take a close
look and you’ll find Angelina Jolie’s pout
in the grille, Sophia Loren’s sloe eyes in
the headlights and the curves of super-
model Gisele Bündchen along the edges.
And, in classic Maserati fashion, all this
outward panache
barely hints at
the lunatic Ferrari
4.7-liter V-8 under
the hood.
Having driven
from England via
the Eurotunnel
and then rather
c au t i ou s l y up
through France
and Belgium in a
torrential down-
pour, I arrived in
Ams te rdam—a
city of cyclists, trams and pedestrians—
feeling somewhat frustrated that I hadn’t
yet been able to stretch theMaserati’s legs
on the open road. Once situated at the
hotel, I strike out to remedy the situation,
hurtling under cloudy skies toward Keu-
kenhof, Europe’s largest flower garden, in
the town of Lisse.
Without straining at the leash, this
2-ton car moves with authority—and, as
it happens, a great deal of noise. When
the roadway opens up before me, I stab
the sport bu on and sink the accelerator
to the floor. To say the GranCabrio takes
care of the bends that I throw at it is an
understatement. The suspension instantly
stiffens, the steering tightens up and on
wet corners the well-balanced chassis
handles itself beautifully. I switch back to
default driving mode and marvel at how
easily the GranCabrio transitions from
howling race car to plush touring sedan.
It stacks up against the likes of the BMW
M6, the Jaguar XKR and Audi’s R8 Spyder
in terms of performance, but also has a
distinct advantage over the competition in
that it’s a rare full four-seater convertible.
Twenty-two miles later, I arrive at
Keukenhof ’s endless swaths of vivid
tulips, which make this one of the most
photographed landscapes inEurope. I pass
numerous enthralled tourists exploring
nearby tulip farms on rented bicycles,
pedaling leisurely along the canals cours-
ing through the fields. One cups his hands
aroundhismouthand shouts across tome:
“Nice car!” I give him the thumbs-up.
I park and stroll the gardens for a
while, becoming quickly overwhelmed
by the colors, the smells. I think back to
the early 17th century, when the wealthy
Dutch succumbed to “tulipomania,” one
of the world’s first speculative bubbles
and an enduring object lesson in finan-
cial mass insanity. The idea that people
would spend several years’ salary on tulip
bulbs has always struck me as the height
of lunacy—until now. Fortunately, before
I can order my broker to plowmy life sav-
ings into bulb futures, the skies open up. I
jump into the Maserati and scoot back to
Amsterdam, tulip-less.
Back in the city, a er narrowly avoid-
ing being T-boned by a tram, I head to
cheese mecca Reypenaer, perched above
the Singel canal. Inmy tasting class there,
I’m introduced to six of Holland’s finest
cheeses; they pack a real flavor punch,
especially when accompanied by a good
port. A er that, I wheel over to the
PETAL POWER
Left, the techni-
color sprawl
at Keukenhof,
Europe’s largest
flower garden;
above, one of
Amsterdam’s
trademark canals
BOARDING PASS
Stunning scenery,
Old World charm and
crave-worthy food—
Amsterdam has it all.
Let United take you
there with nonstop
service from Chicago,
New York/Newark,
Houston and D.C.
Go
to united.com to see
flight schedules and
book your trip.
PREVIOUS PAGE: CINDY-LOU DALE. THIS PAGE: CINDY-LOU DALE (AMSTERDAM)
DISPATCHES
||
ROADTRIP
That people would spend several years’
salary on tulip bulbs has always struck me
as the height of lunacy—until now.
28
SEPTEMBER 2012
•
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM