I remember in the late 90s (when I was just out of the single digits) Dutch computer hobby magazines would regularly feature articles about the "alternet" or the "dark net", where they'd explain how you could visit so many more sites beyond the "normal" internet that were secret, "illegal" and exciting.

I'll never forget the screenshot they printed of a website with a photo of a sea and "Welcome to the atlantic ocean" on it: http://atlantic.ocean.