Excellent result David, I agree, it is a lovely galaxy, there is a nice mix of features resolvable, the OB associations particularly, resolve nicely on this one
had you got away as you were hoping, to a darker sky, you would likely have revealed some
galactic cirrus too.
I haven't put my big boy pants on yet
...but I think I know what you mean re the BlurEX. Looking at lots of images around now, that have used it and I too see it introducing an almost plastic, unrealistic look to many parts or features of many images and it can tend to make all the fine detail in an area very contrasty and become a similar brightness (analogous to traditional decon making the detail all dot like or in to worms if you are not careful), imparting a granulated look, it' seems to be obvious when it has been used in anything but a gentle light handed way.
Mike