Makeing a fake HDR in the GIMP part 2

Last time I told you a way to make a HDR (or an image that looks like one) from a single JPEG.
Since then, I've made a few modifications to the process. This tutorial is for those who are very familiar with their image editor (I used the GIMP, but Photoshop works just as well).

1. Decompose HSV
2. Duplicate value layer
3. Invert new layer, then blur (5 to 20 px is good, depending on size of image)
4. Set mode of new layer to soft light, then duplicate it.
5. Merge down the first new layer, then the second (It gets messed up if you do it the other way around)
6. You are now back down to the Value, Hue, and Saturation layers.
   
7. Turn up the contrast of the value layer until it looks bad, then bring it back just until it looks OK.
8. Re-compose the image. You're Done!

Here is an image I used this technique on:
Before:

After: