I just returned from a week and a half long vacation in Iceland.
Of course, I was bowled over by the natural beauty of the place, but the lefty in me couldn't help marvel at the public facilities and infrastructure. There were no potholes on the roads, despite the brutal weather. They were kept plowed around the clock.
Government buildings and public areas were immaculately clean. Iceland has the best highway road sign system in the world. We never got lost, which is a big deal since I am a person who can get lost going from the bedroom to the bathroom.
Even small things--state-of-the-art parking meters, the efficiency of customs, and marvelous public art works scattered everywhere, even in the smallest of towns.
But what really amazed--and pleased me--were the public pools. Every town has one. There are usually several hot tubs of different temperatures, one shallow enough for babies, and a large heated swimming pool. The pool in Reykjavik had a water slide that my kids said rivalled some of the ones they used at water parks.
And again, these facilities were immaculately maintained, cheap, and open year round and with astonishing hours, from 7am to 9 or ten in the evening. Everyone got their own locker. For a small fee, you could rent a towel and swimsuit.
Look, I know you don't get a sense of what a country is really like when you're a tourist. I'm sure Iceland has plenty of problems. But bottom line: Iceland has the second highest quality of life in the world. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was one of the poorest countries in Europe. That's impressive.