> It sounds a lot like the Netherlands

It's almost a relief to see I'm not the only one having this view. I've been living in NL for the better part of a decade now and to most of the people back home (one of those terrible 'former Eastern Bloc' countries) I sound like a complete lunatic when I bring up similar impressions.

I guess an ideal place would have to be as functional as the Netherlands and yet far less soulless. Is this possible I wonder? Is there some intrinsic trade-off between the two aspects?