OLAAF

From Zero to Stockholm

olaaf,

Last year, Linkin Park ended their European tour in Paris. It was my first sold-out…

My Watch-Themed Cufflinks, Now Properly Photographed

olaaf,

Yes, I’ve already published an article about these watch-themed cufflinks. But recently I opened that…

One Night in Antwerp: Burgers, Buildings, and a Band in a Memory Box

olaaf,

Here’s how it happened. I was at the gym, mid-set, when Smash Into Pieces came…

Don’t Be Like Hyacinth: Three Days in Copenhagen

olaaf,

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear someone mention Copenhagen?…

Keep Looking Up: A Brussels Photo Walk

olaaf,

The plan was simple: take a bus to Brussels-Nord station, walk to the Grand Place,…

When Watches Meet Cards: The Steel Watches Deck

olaaf,

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been seeing Instagram ads for poker chips and…

A Photo Report – Audi Concept C and Alpine F1 at the 102nd Brussels Motor Show

olaaf,

As the title suggests, this is a photo report from my visit to the 102nd…

Three LEGO Formula 1 Cars Compared: Mercedes, Red Bull, and Kick Sauber

olaaf,

I would like to begin this article with a brief clarification: this is a comparison…

Successful Servicing of an Omega 2810-2 SC – Until It Wasn’t

olaaf,

At this point, I have to recall one of my favourite quotes from Sir Winston…

Oracle Red Bull Racing RB20 F1 LEGO Race Car

olaaf,

With the RB20, Max Verstappen secured his fourth Formula 1 Driver’s Championship. Over the 24-race…

Rotterdam – Between Sky, Water, and Encounters

olaaf,

What to do in Rotterdam for two adults – that’s one of the most frequently…

Inside the Chaika: A Deconstruction of a Vintage Soviet Ladies’ Mechanical Watch

olaaf,

Have you ever wondered what a vintage Soviet mechanical ladies’ watch, named Chaika, looks like…

A Photographic Toast to Champagne

olaaf,

Why do I want to post these photos on my blog? The answer is simple….

One Watch, Two Movements, and a Lot of Humility

olaaf,

Long story short – I tried and failed to service a vintage watch. I disassembled…

HTC One X Teardown — Through the Eye of My Macro Lens

olaaf,

Before the iPhone 7, there was the HTC One X — my very first smartphone,…

Eighteen Glasses, No Hangovers: How We Conquered Reims, One Champagne at a Time

olaaf,

Three days. Eighteen champagnes. Sixteen bottle caps. Two caves. Eight champagne houses. One unforgettable journey…

The Best Way to Celebrate an Anniversary – Enjoy a Barolo

olaaf,

This wine wasn’t for my wedding anniversary. It was for my work anniversary. A fabulous…

In the End, It Was Worth It: Paris, Linkin Park, and Everything Between

olaaf,

Last November, I bought tickets to see Linkin Park live in Paris. It would be…

LEGO Technic Ferrari SF-24: The Stunning Lady in Red

olaaf,

Sometimes the best things happen without prior planning. I had no intention of buying a…

Mizensir’s Bois Iridescent by Alberto MORILLAS of Switzerland

olaaf,

Two years ago, when I wrote an article about my appreciation and love for perfumes…

iPod Touch A1288 (2nd Gen) – Full Specs and First-Hand Teardown

olaaf,

My first Apple product was an iPod Touch. I bought this little touchscreen device after…

Exploring Europe – Strolling Through Downtown Lille With My Macro Lens

olaaf,

This isn’t your typical travel blog. Not even close. If you’re looking for a deep…

The Insides of an Apple iPhone 7 Seen Through the Macro Lens

olaaf,

Why take apart and reassemble an iPhone when you can just watch someone else do…

Shooting the Delicious Charm of Les Hauts de Martet

olaaf,

There are only so many watch-themed articles one can write back to back about the…

The Soviet 7275 Movement Under the Fujinon XF 80mm 1:2.8 R LM OIS WR MACRO Lens

olaaf,

When I first disassembled and reassembled the Soviet 7275 movement, I thought it would be…

A Decade with the Apple iPad Mini

olaaf,

I have a 10-year-old Apple iPad Mini that I still use in 2025. But before…

I Tested My Mechanical Watches on a Timegrapher—Here’s What I Found

olaaf,

A timegrapher is an essential electronic device for measuring the accuracy of a mechanical watch….

Watch Movement Breakdown and Rebuild—Up Close with a Macro Lens

olaaf,

Ever since I took the plunge into photography—specifically macro photography—I’ve wanted to disassemble and reassemble…

A Book in the Making: My Creative Journey Begins

olaaf,

I love coffee table books. I already own a few and plan to add more…

Mac Gaming is Real with the Apple M4 Pro Chip

olaaf,

You don’t buy a MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, or any other Mac computer for gaming—at…

The Time is Right to Watch the Latvian Movie Flow

olaaf,

This might just be Latvia’s Disney moment—a small Baltic nation of about 1.8 million people…

I Disassembled and Reassembled a Forgotten Soviet 7275 Movement

olaaf,

I had completely forgotten about this movement. It had been sitting in a box right…

My First-Time Fiasco: Reassembling the Chinese 2813 Movement

olaaf,

I bought the 2813 movement from Amazon to continue my journey in practicing watch disassembly…

Original Wiener Schnitzel on Christmas Eve in Cologne

olaaf,

Apart from a layover in Frankfurt and a memorable trip in a long-distance lorry many…

A Mechanical Watch Enthusiast Bought An Apple Watch S10

olaaf,

When the Apple Watch debuted globally about a decade ago, I was convinced I’d never…

Switching to a New MacBook Pro: First Impressions and Comparisons

olaaf,

More than two years ago, I wrote a blog debating whether to get a new…

Exploring Belgium – I Went to Leuven to Buy a Book

olaaf,

Initially, we planned a trip to Waterloo to visit the famous battlefield. After two years…

Hands-On Horology: A Personal Watch Movement Workshop

olaaf,

Recently, I discovered a workshop in Brussels that offers hands-on experience in disassembling and reassembling…

My First Attempt at Watch Movement Disassembly and Reassembly

olaaf,

When I sent my mother a picture of the watchmaking tools I bought for my…

The Husband And The Wife – Seiko 5 and Seiko Presage

olaaf,

As you may already know my wife gifted for my 30th birthday a Roamer Skeleton….

Set Of Stamps Showcasing Master Watchmakers

olaaf,

While writing this article two things are happening. First, I plan to have for lunch…

Watch Books Worth Reading and Collecting – The Second Edition

olaaf,

You can’t go into a bookstore and buy a book about watches. If it is…

Exploring Europe – I Got 20 Card Decks In Latvia

olaaf,

Usually, my “Exploring Europe” series is about cities or places I visit for the first…

Exploring Belgium – Buying 3D Cards In Mechelen

olaaf,

This article should have been different. I wanted to go to Mechelen to visit the…

The State Of My Growing Playing Card Collection

olaaf,

I am a playing card collector. When I wrote my first article on the state…

I Gave A Vintage MacBook Pro An Upgrade – RAM, Battery And Trackpad

olaaf,

In October 2022, I wrote a blog about upgrading my vintage MacBook Pro (mid-2010) or…

My First RAM Upgrade To A Laptop

olaaf,

It finally happened! I popped my cherry of upgrading RAM on a laptop. Even though…

Photo Report – Brussels Pride Festival 2024

olaaf,

I love Brussels! The purpose of this gallery is to show the color, the joy,…

The Best Boutique Gym in Brussels – Animo Studios

olaaf,

A while ago I wrote that I follow Tim Cook’s example by going to the…

Exploring Belgium – Eating Cheese In Dinant

olaaf,

If you want to know why Belgium is beautiful travel to Dinant. If you want…

Exploring Europe – I Went To London To See Daniels and Harrison

olaaf,

I am not a football fan. My reason for wanting to go to London has…

Hard Work Pays Off – Tudor Black Bay 54

olaaf,

Always listen to your wife. If she suggests changing authorized dealers, you change. If I’d…

Three Shades of Roamer in February

olaaf,

February was quiet here on OLAAF. As of this writing, I have not visited any…

J.M. Weston Made Me Put My Feet On A Shoe-Fitting Stool

olaaf,

In the movie “The Shawshank Redemption” there is a line spoken by Morgan Freeman’s character…

My First Cigar At Davidoff In Brussels

olaaf,

I used to smoke cigarettes in my 12th grade. Mostly because of the social aspect,…

The State Of My Playing Card Collection

olaaf,

I want to say that I am a watch collector. Although I currently have only…

Exploring Europe – Going To Portugal In December

olaaf,

In 2023 my wife and I were in Amsterdam, Malta, and Luxembourg. Even though there…

Tim Cook Exercises In The Morning – So Do I

olaaf,

I have been thinking of writing something about exercising for a while now. No, I…

Strasbourg in November

olaaf,

I am already back from Strasbourg. Today is Friday the 24th of November, roughly fifteen…

Exploring Europe – Pierre Guillaume in Amsterdam

olaaf,

Why Amsterdam in October and not some sunny beach in the South of Europe? If…

What Fountain Pen Should I Buy – Graf von Faber-Castell

olaaf,

Did you miss me? Probably not, since I did not receive a single comment or…

Three Amazing Places To Eat While In Latvia

olaaf,

Everyone likes to eat. I do. In August I went to Latvia with my amazing…

Audi Q5 Is A Great Car – My Three-Day Love Affair

olaaf,

Dear Reader, I hope this article finds you well and in good spirits. It has…

Exploring Luxembourg City – I bought A Leather Card Holder

olaaf,

Would I want to live and work in Luxembourg City? Is Luxembourg as expensive as…

Movie Review – Oppenheimer

olaaf,

I am not ashamed to say that I am a Christopher Nolan fan. In fact,…

Spaghetti All’Aragosta – So Far My Most Expensive Pasta Dinner

olaaf,

Spaghetti All’Aragosta, also known as Spaghetti alla Aragosta or Spaghetti with Lobster, is an Italian…

Movie Review – Mission Impossible 7

olaaf,

This should have been a straightforward movie-going experience. I buy tickets online, we go to…

Watch Books Worth Reading and Having – A Part of My Collection

olaaf,

I love watches. I would like to believe that you know this by now. Currently…

Exploring Belgium – I Ate Fish and Chips in Antwerp

olaaf,

Dear readers, it has been a minute. My last article was in May when we…

Exploring Belgium – The Joy Of Finding Pierre Guillaume in Namur

olaaf,

Initially, we thought of going to Paris for a long weekend. I almost did buy…

An Ice-Hockey Game at a Bar in Brussels

olaaf,

I have been in Brussels for almost nine months already. In other words, my probation…

The Emotional Pain Of A Broken Watch

olaaf,

Unfortunately, this is true. Sadly, it happened with my daily watch. It did not fall…

Photo Report: Floralia Brussels And Hallerbos Forest

olaaf,

If my trusted two to three readers may remember, in January I wrote a couple…

My Woman’s Old Broken Flat Iron Disassembly

olaaf,

When I was younger I did not disassemble broken electronics and look at how they…

Photo Report: My Most Recent Business Trip to Strasbourg

olaaf,

While being at home and watching “Beef” on Netflix, I remembered that I have a…

Pierre Guillaume Is The Perfumer Of Heavens

olaaf,

I assume that we all have had a phase in our lives where we buy…

Another Movie Review – John Wick Chapter 4

olaaf,

Roughly three weeks ago, I did the unthinkable. I logged into my Netflix account, typed…

One Week After Our Trip To Malta

olaaf,

By now my trusty two to three readers have read my impressions of Malta. You…

First Week Of April In Malta

olaaf,

It began on 31st March 2023. We had Lufthansa tickets thus a connecting flight from…

This Is Not Another Technology Review – Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen.)

olaaf,

This really is not another review of an Apple product. Have you looked on YouTube…

Exploring Belgium – I Bought A Durable Coffee Grinder In Ghent

olaaf,

When I mentioned to my colleagues that I will be going to Ghent during the…

Ten Years Ago I Created My First Website And It Is Still Alive – LatvianCrossFit

olaaf,

Probably everyone has heard or seen the saying: don’t post nudes on the internet, because…

I Seriously Don’t Understand People Who Don’t Like Coffee

olaaf,

If you read my article about wet shaving then you’d know that I am a…

iPhone 5S Screen, Battery, and Button Replacement – Second Attempt

olaaf,

I thoroughly enjoy taking apart iPhones. Yes, as of now I have done it only…

How We Teamed Up and Repaired a Hissing Geberit Inlet Valve

olaaf,

At first, there were hissing sounds coming from the bathroom. I had heard it before….

Bruxelles Monopoly – How I Regained My Love For the Game

olaaf,

Probably my parents would not like what I am about to say. I like Brussels….

Caffè Italiano As A Great Place For Lunch Near The European Parliament

olaaf,

When I first came to Brussels as a trainee I often googled for places to…

My Unsuccessful Experience With The TRAD19 Translation Tender Application

olaaf,

I recently opened my LinkedIn feed and saw a post from a fellow colleague at…

Movie Review – Operation Fortune

olaaf,

May I present to you my second movie review on this website? Honestly, I do…

A Shrine For Car Enthusiasts Next To The European Institutions

olaaf,

I recently had another business trip to Strasbourg. I went there by Thalys high-speed train….

How I Found a Prancing Horse Next to the European Commission

olaaf,

Sit back or lay down. Close your eyes and relax. Now remember. Did you have…

My Amazement Seeing Rare Audi at Autoworld Supercars 2 Expo

olaaf,

Me and my love we recently went to one of Brussel’s most famous museums –…

Apple iPhone 5S Screen Replacement – First Attempt

olaaf,

Initially, I thought of starting with an iPhone 5S repair rather than with an iPhone…

Apple iPhone 7 Screen, Vibrator And Battery Replacement

olaaf,

This article was one of the main reasons why I created this website. I wanted…

The Power Of The White Shirt

olaaf,

I can honestly say that I am happy with my current job. I will not…

How Wine Tastings Made Me Appreciate Wine

olaaf,

If a gun is pointed at a point-blank range and the only way out is…

This Is An Ideal Setting For A Slasher Movie

olaaf,

Dear American and European movie producers, May I present to you the perfect place to…

A Few 18th Century Clocks And The Beautiful Rundāles Palace

olaaf,

Have you been to Latvia? Probably two out of my three readers have been. Do…

My Current Take-Out Food Highlights – First Edition

olaaf,

Let’s start with something simple. A definition. According to Mr. Gold: Take-out food refers to…

Movie Review – Avatar: The Way Of Water

olaaf,

A little-known fact about me. I used to write movie reviews quite often. I wrote…

Eating Pasta Is A Healthy Way Of Life

olaaf,

Let us get one thing straight. I am not a nutrition specialist. Therefore, my statement…

Why say “No” When Saying “Yes” Feels So Good

olaaf,

Of course, the title of this article does not apply to everything. But I did…

My Two Week Love Affair With An Audi A6 3.0 TDI

olaaf,

Dear Audi, So far, the only car manufacturer whose cars I have driven is Audi….

Why Every Man Should Be Wet Shaving

olaaf,

Do you grind your coffee beans? Do you like rituals? Are you a man who…

PokerStars Poker Chips That Persuaded Me To Become A Professional Translator

olaaf,

I used to play poker. “Used to” because I no longer have people to play…

Archive: How an International Translation Company Benefits your Business

olaaf,

Let’s say you’re a marketing manager at a large Swiss industrial company. The upper management…

Archive: Scandinavian Languages All You Need to Know

olaaf,

Is it correct to say ‘Scandinavian languages’ or ‘Nordic languages’? Is Finnish a Scandinavian language?…

Archive: What is Subtitle Translation

olaaf,

YouTube, Facebook, Netflix, and even Twitter use subtitles for their videos. All these and more…

Archive: Top 15 Interesting Historical Facts about Translation

olaaf,

When you search the internet for interesting translation facts, you normally stumble upon the usual…

Archive: Legal Document Translation Services and When to Use Them

olaaf,

Quality first and foremost, high attention to detail and huge responsibility both from the linguist…

Our First Trip To The Magical City Of Paris

olaaf,

Our first trip to Paris was this year. In the spring of 2022. It was…

An Experience Of Having A Veiled Chameleon As Your Pet

olaaf,

A simple question. Do you have a pet? No? Okay. Yes? Do you have a…

First Full Three Months In Brussels

olaaf,

If we would like to be completely accurate then these were not the “first full…

A Wonderful Foodgasm At Two Rivers aka Divas Upes

olaaf,

Have you ever been to a place where the food and the experience have been…

My Business Trip To The Beautiful Strasbourg

olaaf,

I started my new job only three months ago in September. And as of this…

Quartz Watches Are The Past And The Present

olaaf,

Unless your parents are really into watches and you get to learn and hear about…

The European Project And My Belief In The European Project

olaaf,

If you are reading this then you probably know what the European Union is. Unless…

A Love Letter To Seiko

olaaf,

Dear Seiko, Please don’t get any wrong ideas about my letter. We have not met…

M.A.D.1 RED Edition – The Ultimate Lottery Ticket

olaaf,

A Letter to Maximilian Büsser. Will he or anyone else from MB&F or M.A.D.1 read…

Love Making With Champagne In Your System

olaaf,

An interesting title, right? Well, this is not going to be about my adventures between…

A Relationship With Your First Car Is Special

olaaf,

My very first car was an Audi A3 (registration number: JP 2837). And here is…

My Bachelor’s And My Master’s Theses – Translating Jokes And Reading the GDPR

olaaf,

This is a fun idea. I have decided to publish here both of my academic…

Drive To Survive And How To Start Watching F1 Again

olaaf,

Feel a bit embarrassed to be honest, because it took me four years to subscribe…

The Lost World And A Thing For Pocket Watches

olaaf,

When I think of pocket watches I think of the television series The Lost World…

Upgrade My Mid-2010 Macbook Pro Or Buy A New Device

olaaf,

Well, can you really upgrade? Because I don’t think so. This twelve-year-old Macbook Pro is…

My Friend’s Tissot T-Complication Squelette Mechanical Watch

olaaf,

My two previous articles on ROAMER and SEIKO were written about my own two watches…

My First SEIKO Solar Quartz Watch

olaaf,

This is my first SEIKO watch. At least it is the only one I can…

Why I Love MOLESKINE

olaaf,

Some people like to take notes on their phones or computers, and then there are…

Why I Love ROAMER Watches

olaaf,

Probably the main reason why I love ROAMER watches is because I have one. I…