I prefer the first also. Rules are made to be broken and the first one is a little less formulaic IMHO.
The levels and curves pimp does help, but I still feel there's an overriding 'grey' quality to the image that detracts. The composition and reflections are lovely, but the grey trees just look a little too bland. I know not everything has to be a high contrast affair, but there's something about the uniform dullness that I don't like.
If it was a beautiful swirling mist then I think it would be a magic picture, but we can't really control the weather
Neil.