373 km/232 m – We are getting a good start this morning as returning to 15D but taking care to avoid Guadalajara onwards to our destination, the Parque Acuatico Chimulco & RV Park (GPS 20.41233 N, 103.67156 W) in Villa Corona. Our journey parallels the east side of Lago de Chapala on a new toll road. We will stop for lunch, fuel and a couple of body breaks along the way and should arrive in the early afternoon and will enjoy this RV Park for the next 3 days. On Day 35 we have trip planned to Guadalajara including a hotel stay. There will also have time to relax and enjoy the thermal hot springs.
Villa Corona was populated in 1160, when several families left Aztlán, forming two large migrant groups. One group went to the north of what is now Jalisco, and the other group towards the Pacific region. The group that migrated towards Jalisco arrived at what is now Villa Corona. One of the tribes decided to stay for their love of hunting and fishing. Villa Corona has approximately 16,000 inhabitants and sits at about 1370 mts/4500 ft. The thermal hot springs are massive and actually supplies the town with free hot water through a separate water line and tap. The Chimulco Water & RV Park has capitalized on the abundance of 37C/99F water and become very popular with locals from Guadalajara and RVers.
Guadalajara is made up of more than 2,300 colonias (neighborhoods) in the Metropolitan Area. The oldest parts of the city include Centro (the oldest in the city), Santuario, Mexicaltzingo, Mezquitan, Analco, and San Juan de Dios. Private houses in the oldest sector of the city are mostly made up of one- and two-level houses, with architectural styles ranging from simple colonial architecture to the Churrigueresco, Baroque, and early nineteenth century European styles. Guadaljara is Mexico’s 2nd largest city with almost 6 million people within it’s metro area.
