Preconception of The Netherlands

Before I visited or even did any research on The Netherlands, I added it to my map of the gaps. This is what was in my head about the country, from pop culture or hearsay or dimly remembered school. (Of course, actually going there will change this a lot.)

I think this is, like, a suburb of Denmark, with even more windmills and wooden shoes, and fewer hills.  And lots of flowers.  I think some famous painters and scientists are from here.  The guy who discovered microbes I think?  Oh crap is Amsterdam here?  Did I screw that up?  That’s hideous.  I’ll just move on…