Neza Through My Lens: Concrete Dreams and Urban Legends
just got back from a three-day shoot in ciudad nezahualcóyotl, or neza as the locals call it, and my camera batteries are screaming for mercy. this place is something else - a sprawling concrete jungle that grew like a weed from former lakebed, with grid streets stretching as far as the eye can see. i came here chasing that gritty, authentic vibe you can't find in the polished parts of mexico city.
i just checked the weather app and it's a brisk 10°C with humidity hitting 62% right now, perfect for those moody, overcast shots that make cityscapes look like something out of a noir film. not exactly beach weather, but great for capturing the stark reality of this place without harsh shadows washing out details.
neza ain't exactly on most tourist maps, which is probably why i love it. the vibe here is raw, unfiltered mexico. if you're tired of the same old colonial architecture, this grid of straight streets on drained lakebed offers something completely different - a testament to human resilience and urban planning taken to its logical conclusion. check out what others are saying on TripAdvisor though honestly, most reviews are sparse, which makes it even more intriguing for a photographer looking for undiscovered territory.
someone told me that parque del pueblo is the real hidden gem around here - this little artificial lake that serves as an ecological reserve in the middle of all this concrete. i spent hours there capturing the contrast between nature and urban sprawl. the light filtering through the clouds created these amazing reflections on the water, with the city skyline in the background. Yelp has some decent reviews about it if you're curious.
the cathedral built in 2000 provides an interesting focal point - this modern structure standing proud among the uniform architecture. i found the olympic stadium particularly fascinating too; hosting fifa world cup matches back in '86 gives this place a certain legitimacy that outsiders might not expect from a place once considered a "monster slum." you can learn more about its transformation from Visit Mexico.
if you're feeling like escaping the density for a bit, chimalhuacán, la paz, and ecatepec are just a short drive away - though honestly, neza has its own rhythm that's hard to leave once you start capturing it through a lens. the way the light hits these buildings at different times of day tells stories of over a million people living, working, and dreaming in this grid that once was lake texcoco.
heard through the grapevine that the local cuisine here is pretty straightforward - working-class mexican comfort food without the fancy presentation. didn't have time to explore food spots properly between shoots, but apparently, it's the kind of place where you find authentic flavors rather than tourist traps. next time i'm bringing a wider lens and maybe an empty stomach.
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