FOR many people, a tour of the Netherlands is closely associated with

windmills, clogs, tulips and cheese. But if you just content yourself with these familiar features, you may miss the dynamic soul of this self-made nation.

Actually a brief visit could lead to totally bizarre conclusions.

Just a few days after returning from my recent visit to the Netherlands, a review by a Chinese traveller who had visited the country in February for just one day caught my attention. The author, who had been impressed by the country's scenery, commented: "The Netherlands' climate is far more pleasant than that part of China that shares approximately the same latitude and is desperately chilly at this time of year. I could not understand how the Atlantic Ocean could provide an inexhaustible supply of free wind power to the lowland Netherlands, while the Pacific Ocean fails to bring the same benefits to China. Why should God grant rich lands only to white people, while leaving deserts and wild mountains to black and yellow ones?"

Such a comment would probably sound ridiculous to the Dutch who are proud of what they achieved in building their country, saying: "God made the world, but the Dutch made the Netherlands." Yet, in a positive sense, the biased comment could also be taken as a demonstration of how successful the Dutch have been in turning their highly vulnerable land into a prosperous nation.

In contrast to what many people imagine, you will not find windmills everywhere in the Netherlands. But you do encounter the amazing impact of windmills almost everywhere you visit, for the country's landscape may be one of the world's most intensely cultivated ones, thanks to centuries of effective use of windmills.

Wind power

Occupying an area smaller than half of East China's Zhejiang Province - one of China's smallest - the Netherlands is bordered by Germany to the east and Belgium to the south. Almost a quarter of the country lies below sea level and was once covered by the sea, lakes or swamps. Yet, by harnessing the power of the wind, the Dutch won possession of vast tracts of their land by pumping out the water. Actually, most of the Netherlands' prosperous regions, including its two largest cities - Amsterdam and Rotterdam - are built on "polders" or areas of drained land.

I visited the Netherlands in May. Just missing the season when the tulips are in bloom made me feel a little bit unlucky, but travelling across the basically flat country by tourist bus has remained one of my most cherished vocation experiences.

Whether crossing rural areas or towns, the scenery was always graceful and neat. This impression was constantly strengthened by numerous canals, which divided carefully cultivated pieces of land in a geometric pattern.

In rural areas, animals including horses, cattle, ducks and swans were common. As expected, the most eye-catching animals were herds of black and white Friesian cows which could be seen grazing in the fields. The combination of flat land and a mild, moist climate has made the Netherlands a paradise for dairy cattle. Boasting the highest yields of milk per cow in the world, the Netherlands provides some of the world's most famous cheeses, including Edam and Gouda.

Passing through the neat towns, my eyes were always glued to the graceful houses and villas. The open-minded Dutch seem to be very willing to expose their contented domestic lives to others by leaving their impressively big windows curtainless.

"We do not waste any piece of our land. It is fair to say that almost every piece of land in the Netherlands is cultivated," said one Dutch museum commentator who guided us on a tour through the Kroeller-Mueller museum, known for its extensive range of works by Vincent van Gogh and for its unique sculpture garden. The museum is located within the National Park De Hoge Veluwe, the Netherlands' oldest and largest national park, celebrated as a brilliant cultivation success story since it was established one century ago, rooted firmly in the Dutch love of nature.

A frequent comment from our Taiwanese guide Janet Tsai, who represents the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions in the China market, was: "Although the Netherlands is not rich in natural resources, the Dutch have been industrious and smart enough to build their country into a prosperous one, especially through trade."

To understand the Netherlands as an eminent cultural and economic power, Amsterdam and Rotterdam are important destinations for any visitor. To a certain degree, Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands and a city which witnessed the golden age of the Netherlands in the 1600s, stands more for the nation's traditional glory; Rotterdam, the largest port in the world and Europe's major commercial gateway, represents the more dynamic, modern side of the country.

Venice of the North

Divided by canals into 90 small islands linked together by more than 1,000 bridges, Amsterdam is one of Europe's most beautiful cities, often described as "the Venice of the North." A popular way of enjoying the city is to take a canal cruise on a glass-topped barge.

Around 7,000 buildings in Amsterdam are under protection as historical monuments. Cruising among these elegant mansions along tree-lined canals, I indulged myself in fantastic reveries of the glorious and prosperous olden days of the city, when rich merchants who manipulated the world market walked through those decorated doorways and disappeared behind high, narrow windows under ornamental gables.

Although Rotterdam is comparatively understated in its historical and cultural dimension when contrasted with 800-year-old Amsterdam - a city possessing some of world's most renowned museums - the city still has the vigour and refreshing openness to impress visitors with its modern achievement.

Rotterdam has dozens of harbours of all sizes, each with its own character and function. But for tourists, the continuous loading and unloading of cargo vessels is less enthralling than the innovative modern architecture which has appeared since the end of World War II (during which the city was almost completely destroyed).

Built in the first half of the 1990s, the majestic Erasmus Bridge, totally supported by a single tower on one side, is now Rotterdam's icon. The fascinating skyline of the buildings around the bridge is also eye-catching. But the best illustrations of Rotterdam's creative modern buildings, the Cubic Houses, built in 1984 by architect Piet Biom, stand out remarkably.

These 39 deliriously angled dwellings inevitably arouse visitors' curiosity about what it would be like to live in such an abnormally constructed house. One resident was said to welcome visitors to enter and find out for a small fee.