Ugly but fascinating

One recent evening I was walking in Xindian, which is a densely populated city filled almost completely with dilapidated five-story walk-up apartment buildings from the 60's and 70's.  I have hated these buildings ever since I moved here, because they are ugly, dirty, and run-down, and more often than not have amateur and distinctly dangerous-looking electrical work running across the exterior walls.  But on this day, I looked up at these buildings and realized that they are historical.  They represent Taiwan's past, before its large-scale move into high-tech manufacturing triggered 20 years of rapid industrialization that resulted in the modern standard of living that people enjoy today.  So yes, they are ugly and horrible, but at the same time they are fascinating historical landmarks.  They make for interesting pictures too, in a Road Warrior sort of way.