The Beauty of Madrid?

I have just been for a walk - I went to Lavapies to buy some Indian curry paste and other ingredients that are hard to find elsewhere. It's a nice nighbourhood, old houses and hilly cobbled streets. I then walked around some other neighbourhoods near my house to get to know some areas I had never been before. The walk was perfectly pleasant except that everything was so shockingly ugly. So much of Madrid is really quite ugly.
I feel bad saying it but it's stating the obvious. Once you leave the very pleasant city centre you are greeted with brown tower blocks, washing and pylons which extend to the horizon.
Ok, ok, I'll be nice. The centre of Madrid is charming - the Paseo de Prado has some magnificent buildings, the Retiro is heaven on a spring's day and Gran Via is very exciting. I love Madrid, for its beauty is in its culture, its people and its vibe. It's a very liveable city, if you ignore the architecture. One has to remember that it is a scarred city, heavily bombed during the Civil War. It is also a city that was reluctant to be the capital - it has no iconic landmarks and doesn't have the feel of a capital in many parts.
Anyway, what else can I ramble on about today? I went to England last week. I stayed in Brighton and had a very pleasant time. Things I like about Britain: nice houses (especially in Hove where I was staying) food from all over the food is easily accessible, a more integrated racial mix, an atmosphere on the whole of tolerance. Things I don't like: the monotonous high streets which have been taken over by large chain coffee shops and clothes stores and have starved all the independant businesses into near extinction. The poverty, which is surpirsingly high in such a wealthy country. Apart from that I really like it there, it's home. Oh, I forgot, the weather - that sucks quite a lot of the time.
I'm not sure the point to this post is absolutely clear. I am trying to get across basically that there are things that are nice and not-nice about both Spain and Britain but if you're positive and focus on the good things then it's possible to really like both places and be very content. I have realised this week how content I am to be in Madrid, despite its faults. It's a nice city, even though it's ugly. I am excited about the next few months because the weather is warming and there's the prospect of outdoor fun getting ever closer! I'll leave it there for now, I have homework to do :(