Lunch at Tevy’s
After another sleep in, I have another lazy start to the day. I’ll be leaving Cambodia today heading to Nagoya. So part of today will be packing in anticipation of heading to the airport. In the late morning, I head out to Tevy’s for a “breakfasty” meal. I really enjoyed my dinner at Tevy’s, so a revisit is in order! This also didn’t disappoint! I order some noodles in soup along with fried rolls and both really hit the spot!
Coffee at Eightfold
After Tevy’s I stroll around Siem Reap for a little before heading back to my hotel to finish packing. With a little bit of time left, I head to a small cafe that’s onsite at my hotel. Oddly enough, I didn’t discover it until my last day. I’m a bit sad since it’s super cool and I would have found some excuses to spend some time here instead of my room had I known. Nonetheless, I order a tasty cool drink and enjoy it and the festive atmosphere.
SAI Airport
Soon its time to make my way to Siem Reap Angkor International Airport. This is a brand new airport that only opened in 2023. So being a bit of an aviation geek, I’m keen to check it out since I didn’t have an opportunity on my arrival. It’s actually really nice and has that new airport smell! In fact there’s still a portion of the airport that’s not even open yet. Likely because there isn’t enough traffic through the airport to warrant it being operational. There’s also a cool area outside of the airport that plane spotters can get to pretty close to the apron. It’s a nice airport and when it gets busy I hope to see it fully utilized!
Flying to Nagoya
After wandering around the airport for an hour or so, it’s finally time to board my flight. My first stop will be to Hanoi and a layover for a few hours. Then on an overnight flight to Nagoya arriving in the morning. I originally have an exit row booked on my night flight. But due to an plane swap I’m now in a “normal” cramped Vietjet seat which I’m not particularly looking forward to. The flight to Hanoi is smooth and uneventful. And I’m glad for the multi hour layover in Hanoi because the transfer security process is a bit of a zoo. Of the four layover I end up spending over half of it in line waiting trying to get through. By the time I do, I have just enough time to dip into the lounge for a quick bite to eat, recharge some batteries and refill some fluids. Then I’m off to the gate and onto my next flight. It’s a straight forward flight, and I try to get some sleep, but I only manage to drift in and out over the five hour journey.
Flight of Dreams
After landing in Nagoya, and getting through customs and immigration, you would think that I would head straight into the city. However, one of the big reasons for me to visit Nagoya is actually at the airport. Instead of taking the train into the city, I head down a walkway towards a hangar near the terminal building. This hangar is called the Flight of Dreams, and is the home of a Boeing 787 named “ZA001”. This is the first ever Boeing 787 Dreamliner prototype. It is now an aviation attraction built around this iconic aircraft. There is no way I would pass up an opportunity to check it out. Due to my early arrival, I did need to wait a little until the attraction opened, so I pick myself up a few “breakfast” items from a nearby convenience store and enjoy a few “elevated” views of this beautiful plane before heading into the attraction.
ZA001
Once everything opens, I make my way down to the hangar floor where you can get right up close to the plane. There are tons of different areas setup for adults and children alike to enjoy all things aviation. There are information placards that talk about all the different parts of the aircraft and others that talk about airport operations. You get right up to the landing gear, or look straight down the engine. They talk about seat and tire technology and even how fueling works at Nagoya airport. As an aviation geek this is a must visit and I don’t think a smile left my face the entire time. On the second floor they’ve even created a small food court under the wing with nods to Seattle (home of Boeing).
You can also queue to go up to the cockpit and watch a short video narrated by the first test pilots of this prototype plane. Overall, its an awesome exhibit and one I wouldn’t hesitate to re-visit. The fact that it is free of charge makes it even better. The only downside is that if you don’t fly in or out of Nagoya Airport, it’s a bit out of the way. Otherwise, it’s an excellent visit!
Yamamotoya Honten
After leaving Flight of dreams, I make my way into Nagoya. By the time I get to my hotel, I’m still a bit early for check in. So I leave my bags with the hotel and head out in search of lunch. One of the things on my list to try in Nagoya is Miso Nikomi Udon. It’s a Nagoya specialty and is a udon noodle stewed in a miso broth. Thankfully near my hotel is a restaurant that serves it called Yamamotoya Honten. So I pop over there, order and am excited to give this Nagoya specialty a try. Especially since it’s chilly out this really hits the spot and I very much enjoy the warmth it provides!
Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology
Unfortunately, even after lunch, I’m still too early to check in. So I head over to the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology. It’s a museum that talks about the history of Toyota and the site is considered the “birthplace” of Toyota. I think Toyota is most known for their automotive industry. However, I didn’t know that they started as a textile company. In fact the entire first half of the museum is dedicated to this part of their history and its fascinating. They have so many different iterations of looms and you can see how the technology has evolved over time. What’s cool about this museum is that it’s interactive. You can press buttons and the looms still operate so you don’t have to imagine how they work.
From Textiles to Automobiles
The second half of the exhibit shows how Toyota started producing cars to try and compete with GM and Ford domestically. Eventually over time they’ve become the global brand we know today. The second half of the exhibit is dedicated to the automotive side of Toyota. There is a huge warehouse that not only showcases the different models of cars that they have, but also all the massive machinery that’s been created in order to produce the cars as well. Similar to the looms a lot of the big machinery also works at the push of the button. In fact some of them are down right intimidating when they run because of the sheer size of them! It’s actually impressive that for a museum they have scale demonstrations of their industrial machinery for anyone to see. This is a very well done exhibit! It’s also cool that they have a smaller version of their machinery that produces a small little keepsake for everyone that you can take home with you as well!
Lamplight Books Hotel Nagoya
After my visit to Toyota, I finally start heading back to my hotel to check in. It’s been a very long two days. The travel, lack of sleep and excitement of the day is catching up to me. On my way to the hotel, I drop by a local convenience store to pick up some meal items (as you can in Japan). I check in and settle into my room. You really can’t go wrong with a Kombini meal as its delicous! I throw a show on my laptop and settle in for a quiet evening in. Soon enough I drift off for some much needed rest. Tomorrow I’m headed out of the city for a day trip to visit another big reason for basing myself out Nagoya. Stay Tuned!
