Barrio Yungay Historic & Artistic District

There are many areas in Santiago that hold some crazy facts. Most of these facts are pretty hard to find in parts of the city where they put thousands of advertisements in front of places that hold a high  historical value (Hold on, I'm going somewhere with this).
For example, who has time to think of the Lions in Los Leones, when you have the biggest mall in the country right behind them, and every fasfood chain in the world in the surrounding streets (not that I haven't visited them all to inspect the quality).  
In Barrio Yungay, truth isn't a problem, and if you want some cold hard news and straight up politics, the Barrio is the home to just this...  

Barrio Yungay is known for many things: the monument to El Roto Chileno, El Mardoqueo, La Peluquería Francesa, Museo de La Memoria... and of course some great (according to the artists) Street Art and Graffiti, charged with political messages, social awareness, and neighborhood identity.
You can easily get here by taking the Line 5 Metro to Quinta Normal. Once out of the station, you head east, and you'll find yourself in Chile's first residential neighborhood.

This place is home to some infuential writers, politicians and families that had a huge impact on the country. In fact, when you go to the supermaket to get your wine (), there is a brand called Cousiño-Macul, and that family owed some great property in this neighborhood. 

Wall Paitings      
This area is know for having the most "in your face" / "No holds barred" / "cash me ousside, how bow dat" style of graffiti available. If ever there was unrest about the AFP system, or SQM scandal... the walls will tell you the story though colorful illustrations. 

The Elephant in the Room
Umm... Quinta Normal... the park... crazy enough, very few tourists go to this place. It is huge, it has some great graffiti and street art inside; museums; stuff for kids (games, toys, etc), and even a nice lagoon where you can rend a swan to pedal around :') 

The Underdog
 
Casa Chilota is my choice for the underdog here, typical Chiloe food, live music and extemely local atmoshphere. Great spot. Where else can you get curanto like this in Santiago?

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