Cooling system 1970 340 Dart Clone

Just after the coolant has left the engine to be cooled does it go through the thermostat housing and then through the top rad hose to the radiator or what ? I'm trying to figure where the hot coolant from the engine goes first...to the top of the radiator through the upper coolant hose or what. My looking at the pics I am thinking that as the hot coolant leaves the engine to go to the radiator, it is travelling through the upper radiator hose to the top of the rad. So....would the hottest coolant be that which is inside the upper radiator hose just before it reaches the rad??