Almost confirmed back to the
12th century
Originally the name had a letter with 2 dots above it
(  )
for Germany and Bohemia but then later after the
fall of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, the  had
to be changed to "e"
so now the new Family original name is Pletl |
battle_of_bosworth_brandon
1454
Jews are expelled from Brunn Moravia
by order of King
Ladislaus.
|
Our Family comes originally
from Bohemia, then they swept across Germany in the
15th century in the form of Royalty, Princess,
Princes' Lords and even an Archbishop of Bruno now
in Czechoslovakia which was in the
Austrian-Hungarian Empire
1646
Hans Plätl
Von Lichtenberg was
his name.
of the Lichtenberg clan. That is not him
below. It is your Host. ME!
Leslie Charles Paul Bubik
But you can call me Les
"Royalty is not divine - if your actions are
honorable, then you will be royal no matter what
cloth you were cut from."
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I just made the picture above for a
joke.
|
About 4 years ago my Aunt
sent me to Bruno, in Czechoslovakia to find something
about out family but I only found one pc of paper
but it was significant because our family blood line
was dated back to the 15th century before I went and
this document proves that our family goes back to the
14 century, but without the hard work of the Family
Library custodian, we would not have a family
library.
Picture of
Agi and Adri
, + 1271. Ludwig
II von Lichtenberg
Johann I von Lichtenberg,
Lord, + 1315, Md. 1295, Adelfeid
von Werdenberg, + 1343, d. of Hugo I von
Below, is the kind
of clothes they wore in those days in the 12th
century
Montfort, Count
of Werdenberg
(need to find out
What happened here)
In a further certificate purchased in 1272 the town
Georgenthal a Arnstädter
One by the mill owners to Siegelsbach
situated vineyard.
How extensive must have been the
vineyards in and around Arnstadt, tells us that of
Dr.
CA Burkhardt edited "document the city of Arnstadt. It will be in a document
14th Century
no less than 44 vineyards and fields mentioned. From a
The exact date of his birth is not known, not even
the exact year, because in the Middle
Ages a
person's death date was considered far more important
than their birth date, since a memorial mass would be
celebrated on the death date.
He was the second son of Ulrich
IV of Hanau (born:
between 1330 and 1340; died: in September or October
1380) and Countess Elizabeth of Wertheim (1347–1378
). In the ruling family of Hanau, an explicit primogeniture statue
of 1375 stipulated that only the eldest son could
inherit the Lordship and even that only he could
marry. Reinhard II as second son of Ulrich IV as was
destined for a clerical career. He received a
suitable education for such a career; in 1387 he was
studying at the University
of Bologna. In 1390, one of the sons of Ulrich
IV, possibly Reinhard II, was enrolled as a student
at the university
of Heidelberg. The entry in the register does not
mention a name, it merely states de
Hanaw domicellus.[1][2] Reinhard
abandoned his spiritual career in 1391, and closed a
contract with his elder brother Ulrich
V, which guaranteed him an annual income. The
background was probably that Ulrich V's marriage was
still childless and they wanted to preserve the
possibility that Reinhard might succeed Ulrich V. The
contract awarded Reinhard an annual sum of 400
florins and a share in the districts Partenstein,Rieneck,
Bieber and Haßlau. This was the first generation in
the history of the Hanau family where the younger
sons did not join the clergy. In 1398, the contract
was renewed, and Ulrich and Reinhard's younger
brother John
of Hanau was
also awarded a persion, after a dispute with John had
led to actual fighting.
other document showing that in 1387 the
Lord Lichtenberg and the other lords of Arnstadt
including
the tried,
to transform the city and surrounding
area in a single vineyard.
In 1496 the vineyards located in
Arnstadt and field were the following
Men Spent:
.. Hans von Lichtenberg = 14 acres vineyard
and a field outside
the Erfurt Goal
.. Iring of Witzleben = 8 acres Weingarten
.. Hot and Kurt von Rottleben = 4 acres of
wine wax
.. Friedrich, Klaus, and Kurt von Witzleben
= 3 acres Weingarten
.. Heinrich Acker wine from the court = 1
wax
In addition a large number of vineyards
were in the size of a half acre, the scattered
were in the large estates and most
property wealthy citizens Arnstädter\
|
1462 Wedding
Philipp II, Graf von Hanau-Lichtenberg, Herr zu
Babenhausen, Buchweiler, & Neuweiler1,2
After the death of his father raised his younger
brother Louis claims
to the rule. The primogeniture was
indeed in the Hanauer family statutes since the
14th Anchored
century, the general law
of succession ,
but spoke for a country subdivision. Through
the mediation of Count Philipp
I of Hanau-Münzenberg it
came within a short time reached a settlement and
Louis renounced his claim. Shortly
thereafter, he went on a pilgrimage to
the Holy
Land and
died here in 1484 on the return journey.
Philip II ruled at first in close imitation of
the Palatinate ,
the lord of
parts of the county of Hanau-Lichtenberg was. Philip
II supported Elector Philip of
the Palatinate, at the siege of the castle Hohengeroldseck .
Cooperation, but also was armed with the
intermarried home Zweibrücken-Bitsch ,
since a significant portion of the rule
Lichtenberg was
at first ruled jointly. It
was not until 1487 there was a confrontation
between two of the Lichtenberger heritage. Together
went Count Philipp II and Count Simon
IV alarm of
Zweibrücken-Bitsch against themistress of
her late father, Jakob
Lichtenberg , Bärbel
of Ottensheim ago:
After the death of Jacob von Lichtenberg 1480 she
was accused of witchcraft in
the town ofHagenau incarcerated. The
two used to the city council for a death
sentence . Presumably
it was to go to the fortune of the Barbel
Ottensheim. Another
possibility is that the tense situation in order
in advance of the peasants'
war should
be brought a "scapegoat" to the subjects, as the
mistress had had far-reaching influence on the
government and was said to be hated by the
people. Before
it came to a verdict, Bärbel died in prison - the
cause remained unclear.
With Kurmainz there
was a lengthy discussion regarding the Mainz
fief, which was finally settled to the effect
that Philip II, the city Klingenberg ceded
to Mainz, but half ofBrumath received
as a fief.
He participated in various diets, the main point
of the danger of a Turkish invasion
in Central Europe.
In Landshut
war of succession between
1503-1505 of the Palatinate and Bavaria remained
neutral Philip, but his son and designated
successor, Philip III. of
Hanau-Lichtenberg, who was involved on the part
of the Palatinate. Landgraf Wilhelm
of Hesse by
the German
king Maximilian
I. with
the execution of the imperial
ban against
thebreakers
of the peace commissioned
classified Palatinate and its allies. The
rural area of the Office
Babenhausen was
already destroyed, before it succeeded Philip II,
with the help of Maximilian I, and the fact that
Babenhausen as a Bohemian fief
belonged to the Habsburgs indirectly, halting the
campaign against their own possessions. The
fact that his son was fighting on the "wrong"
side expecting him not to Maximilian. Philip
Babenhausen residence was spared so at least. She
received in 1503 by Maximilian I. the privilege to
be allowed to hold an annual fair - the Nicholas
Market.
M, b. 31 May 1462, d. 22 August 1504
All the way back to the 14th
century
Some of the clothing they wore
1573 Jorge Christoph (pronouced christoff) Platl
Christopher Platl. Jaime Reis. Juan Rial. David Ringrose. Felipe
Ruiz Martín ...... Parece
que, de 1562 a 1573,
Torregrosa no estuvo ocupado al servicio
There is some reference that one of the Princes of Hanabau married A
PRINCE Phillip of Spain in 1573 to 1574
But I loose the trail after that. When I went to Spain in
2011, I could not pick up the trail so she she marry him
or not, it is not clear.
1641 1642 1643 1644 1645 1646 1647 1648 1649 1650
political events that occurred in
ENGLAND around the same time in
History as our family was
around in Europe. OUR FAMILY
WAS NOT IN ENGLAND AND DID NOT MARRY
INTO ENGLISH ROYALTY SO AS FAR AS I
KNOW.
William
Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, is
beheaded at London January 10 at age
71, having been tried by the House of
Commons and found guilty of high
treason. Puritan William Prynne has
led the attack against the diminutive and
small-mindedprelate,
who has been held prisoner in the
Tower of London since 1641.
James
Graham, marquis of Montrose,
takes the marquis of Argyll by
surprise at Inverlochy north of Fort
William February 2 and routs his
3,000-man army (see 1644).
Montrose has only 1,500 men, but they
leave about 1,700 enemy killed or
wounded and proceed to lay waste
Moray and Aberdeenshire, elude an
army led by William Bailie of Letham
at Brechin, capture and pillage
Dundee, escape into the Grampian
hills, defeat one of Bailie's
lieutenants at Auldearn near Nairn,
and rout Bailie himself at Altford.
Sir
Thomas Fairfax, now 33, is appointed
commander in chief of a New Model
Army in February and works to
organize and train an effective
fighting force as England's Civil War
continues. Oliver Cromwell has taken
steps to create a Parliamentary army
whose commanding officers owe their
appointments to abillty rather than
social standing, he has outfitted
them with red uniforms (red is the
cheapest dye available),
and by spring these first "redcoats"
have polished their skills in weapon
handling.
A
Self-Denying Ordinance passed by the
House of Lords in April discharges
members of Parliament from any
obligation to hold civil or military
commands. William Fiennes, 1st
viscount Saye
and Sele, has been chiefly
responsible for the measure's
passage. Charles I sends his son and
namesake to the west country, whence the
youth escapes to France and rejoins
his mother.
Parliamentary army lieutenant colonel
John Lilburne resigns his commission
in April rather than subscribe to
the Solemn
League and Covenant with
Scotland, which commits Parliament to
reform the Church of England along
Presbyterian lines (seereligion, 1640).
Commissioned a captain in Cromwell's
army when hostilities began 3 years
ago, Lilburne was taken prisoner at
Brentford in November 1642, nearly
tried for treason, but exchanged for
a Royalist prisoner. He criticizes
Parliament and its army for not
supporting the radical demands of the
Leveller movement—transfer of
sovereignty to the House of Commons,
suffrage for all men whether or not
they own property, complete equality
before the law, decentralization of
government to local communities, a redistribution of
parliamentary seats, annual or biennial parliamentary
sessions to give ordinary citizens
representation, an end to conscription and
impressment, reopening of enclosed
land, and the like. Arrested and sent
once again to prison, Lilburne will
remain under confinement with few
interruptions until August 1647 (see 1647).
Prince Rupert captures Leicester in
May, but the Battle
of Naseby in
Northamptonshire June 14 ends in a
decisive defeat of Charles I's
English Cavaliers at the hands of
Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads in a
triumph for the English middle class
and merchants, who are supported by
many of the country's great noblemen
in the continuing Civil War. Prince
Rupert's 4,000 infantrymen and 5,000
cavalry are outnumbered by the
Parliamentarians, whose New Model
Army consists of 7,000 infantry and
6,000 cavalry. Some 6,000 of
Charles's men are killed, wounded, or
taken prisoner; the Roundheads suffer
fewer than 1,000 casualties and
capture all 13 Cavalier guns.
Sir
Thomas Fairfax marches his New Model
Army to the southwest and defeats the
only remaining Royalist army in July
at Langport, Somerset.
The
marquis of Montrose marches south in
July with 2,000 men, having augmented
his numbers. Bailie and the marquis
of Argyll follow but are defeated at
Kilsyth August 15 and suffer terrible
losses (their entire 6,000-man force
is killed, wounded, or captured).
Montrose's clansmen slip away home
with their booty,
however, and when Montrose enters the
border country with 500 cavalry and
1,000 infantry he is taken by
surprise in a dawn attack at
Philiphaugh, near Selkirk,
September 13 by 6,000 Covenanter
troops, mostly cavalry, under the
command of General David Leslie, 44,
who cut Montrose's Royalist army to
pieces (see 1646).
Prince Rupert surrenders Bristol to
the Parliamentarians in September and
is dismissed from his command.
Europe's Thirty Years' War nears its
end. Swedish soldiers Lennart
Torstensson, 42, and Count Hans
Christoph Königsmark repulse an
imperial army under General Matthias
Gallas, now 61, in January and block
efforts by the army to relieve the
hard-pressed Danes. They pursue the
enemy into Germany, and virtually
annihilate Gallas's army at Magdeburg.
Torstensson gains a victory over the
imperialists at Jankau in Bohemia in
March, conquers Moravia with
support from the Transylvanian prince
George Rákoczi, and advances on
Vienna. Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne,
vicomte de Turenne, 33, is defeated
in Franconia but
raises a French and Hessian army that
invades Bavaria and defeats the
Bavarians in the (second) Battle of
Nördlingen (Allerheim) August 3.
Commanded by the duc d'Enghien, now
24, the French and Hessians have
6,000 infantry, 11,000 cavalry, and
11 guns; the Imperialist/Bavarian
army commanded by Field Marshal Baron
Franz von Mercy has 5,000 infantry,
9,000 cavalry, and 23 guns; the duc
d'Enghien prevails, but he loses
4,000 killed and wounded. Von Mercy
is killed, 5,000 of his men are
killed or wounded, and 15 of his guns
are captured. Plague breaks out in
the Swedish army of Count Torstensson
as he lays siege to Brunn and he
returns to Bohemia.
The
Russian czar Mikhail I Romanov dies
at Moscow July 12 at age 49, having
founded the dynasty that will
continue until 1917; he is succeeded
by his son, 16, who will reign until
1676 as Aleksei Mikhailovich.
Czech Nationalism and Nationhood
The 19th cent. brought a rebirth
of Czech nationalism. Under the
leadership of Palacký a
Slavic congress assembled at
Prague in the Revolution of 1848,
but by 1849, although the Czech
peasantry had been emancipated,
absolute Austrian domination had
been forcibly restored. The
establishment (1867) of the Austro-Hungarian
Monarchy thoroughly
disappointed the Czech
aspirations for wide political
autonomy within a federalized
Austria. Instead, the Czech lands
were relegated to a mere province
of the empire. Concessions were
made (1879) by the Austrian
minister Taaffe;
Czechs entered the imperial
bureaucracy and parliament at
Vienna. However, many Czechs
continued to advocate complete
separation from the Hapsburg
empire.
Full independence was reached
only at the end of World War I
under the guidance of T. G. Masaryk.
In 1918, Bohemia became the core
of the new state of Czechoslovakia.
After the Munich Pact of 1938,
Czechoslovakia was stripped of
the so-called Sudeten area, which
was annexed to Germany. In 1939,
Bohemia was invaded by German
troops and proclaimed part of the
German protectorate of Bohemia
and Moravia.
After World War II the pre-1938
boundaries were restored, and
most of the German-speaking
population was expelled. In 1948,
Bohemia's status as a province
was abolished, and it was divided
into nine administrative regions.
The administrative reorganization
of 1960 redivided it into five
regions and the city of Prague.
In 1969, Bohemia, along with
Moravia and Czech Silesia, was
incorporated into the Czech
Socialist Republic, renamed the
Czech Republic in 1990. The Czech
Republicbecame an independent
state when Czechoslovakia was
dissolved on Jan. 1, 1993
Achim Platl
1637
1646 Hans
Platl Von Lichtenberg
was the Archbishop of the Brunn
(New Spelling Bruno)
We are directly related to him
though the Platl Family which is our family.
Thank God our name wasn't Smith or
Schmitt.
FriendsFirst.ca
you will find lower down
welcome to my world
|
Below is a pictures of
my fathers family in the Old country. The Family has been
the family of over 600 years. Our lineage can be
traced back to the Crusades.
|
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If you are here
because you are learning about who I am am, then please
provide be with some information about you. Where you
came from, where you think you are going because all of
that is quite interesting to me. As you go through this
site you will see many interesting things, as I am
writing a book about my family from the time they were
hiding Jews during WWII and save some 700 families from
the axe to You know the movie Schindlers list my Grand
fathers List was 20 times longer as he owned factories
and vineyards and all kinds of things. He had people
sitting around making up professions and then convincing
the Germans not to take them away. Loosing all their
wealth after the war. Coming to Canada with nothing and
starting again. By the time my grand father came to
Canada after loosing every thing twice, Once to the
Germans and then again to the Russians, He came he at 66
at $5.00 in his pocket. And when he died at 88, he was a
multi-millionaire all over again. *"Making millions is
easy, holding on to them is quite another" * And the
rest, as we say is History. |
1411
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1860
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1904
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In 1688 Platl Came to Hungary
and there was no such letter will 2 dots above the "a" so they changed
the name to Pletl for the new Hungarian Country
Pletl Married Rak
Later Rak married Bubik
1905 I think?
We are working on this now
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1918
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1717 Married into the Bubik
(it is an amazing Library of facts which my aunt runs for the family)
it is kind o cool to see your family coat or carved carved into stone in
some churches in Europe
1926
More pictures to tell me about dad
My grandparents, my dad and my
other aunts and uncle
My Grand Parents Vineyard below
After loosing everything twice. Once to The Germans during the
2nd WW and then again to the Russians. My grandfather came to
Canada A broken man with $5.00 in his pocket at 65 and when he died
at 80, he was a multi-millionaire all over again. Amazing And
a very hard working and industrious family.
My mom in 1940
second from the left and bottom row
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My dad was already interested
and during the war when the Germans were taking them
away. My Grandfathers family The Bubiks helped my moms
family and his them in one of their houses. Then
another family showed up and then another and another
until , they were hiding them in barns and other
properties My Grand Father saved 760 people from the
chopping block and Schindlers list was nothing compared
to my Grandfathers list. I was told that they sat
around for hours making up titles for jobs. You see the
Germans gave free laborers to the Factory owners t make
their bullets and tanks. My grand father had a few of
them so he was able to same many and because he owned
farms and vineyards. He was able to feed everyone of
them. I was told when My grand father came to Canada he
was a broken man with 5.00 in in pocket at 65 and when
he died at 88, he was a multi millionaire again. Simply
amazing.
My Grand fathers
brother was the Director of the Berlin Opera house during
the second world war and was also involved with the
smuggling of those , who were involved in Hitler's
ASSASSINATION attempt. out of the Country. Bringing
them to Argentina. Why Argentina, I am not sure but
His Name was Arpad Bubik and He
was also the director of a theater in Argentina but
it was never as successful as it was for him
in Berlin. He was a Hungarian Patriot when Hungary
was free.
One of My Uncles was the
find guide. He took 42 Jews across the
Hungarian/Austrian border. He only talked
about the war when he dot really drunk like at
weddings. I always listened to the stories. He told
me that it would have been better if he stepped on
a mine and when I asked why? He said because
He did not know where the mines where. WOW .
When I was a kid some
Hebrew foundation called my house, I was living at 421
Roselawn Avenue in those days. 416 481-4344 and
wanted to give an award to my fathers family for
there efforts in the war helping Jews and getting them to
safe places
I accepted the award
and told my dad who was furious. And told me he is not
interested in any award. Later I found out why.
Myfather eventually told me he does nt want to
relive any of it. My Grand father hid the Jew under
the noses of the Germans. In plain site.
My family did some pretty
dangerous things like take the bombs out of planes that
were shot down, they were stripped down and sent to the
"underground " to be used against the Germans. WOW
my dad was nuts. In those days where were no cell
phones when when you went from one place to another
with a gas ration on, they walked and tool their
bicycles. My one uncle Imre Bubik. was caught
by the Germans and torched so much he went crazy, but he
never gave the locations f the save houses.
He remained crazy till the end of his life, just a few
short years ago My mother is also gone
My Family paid a very
heavy price for what they did to help the Jews and it
never would have started if my dad hadn't met my
mom.
This is where the mistake
occurred. Because Gas was being rationed , no one had gas
for their vehicles But the Bubik family always had
gas. Even towards the end of the war, even the Germans
has to ration their gas, because there was not enough to
go around, But by this time The Bubik
had lots because my dad was pumping the gas out of the
planes that crashed on their lands. The
Germans weren't stupid, they just followed the
trail and eventually busted them all.
Hiding a Jew was worse
than being one, in those days and I never met my
grand mothers and tons of relatives because many were
rounded up and shot and they were the lucky ones.
The rest were sent to processing and labour camps.
My dad was able to escape capture only to be captured by
the Russians at the end of the war. WOW .. he
and my dad found an old spoon and and the
ground was frozen but they both managed to escape
by using the spoor to dig under the fence. If the
Russians has dogs, they would not have been able
to escape. My Dad, almost starving to
get back to his land only to find that the Russians
were occupying it.
My Grand Father lost
every thing to the Germans and then the Germans where
blowing things up on their retreat including my
Grandfathers factories. The my fathers family
went into the factories to salvage what they could
and were hiding machinery in barns and other places
because the Russians were taking the machines away.
What a story but all true.
Bubik Arpad - 1944 was
responsible for getting Germans, involved in the
assasination attempt on Hitler, to get them out odf the
Country, smuggeling them out of the Country and taking
them to Argentina.
" Dohnányi’s misery", he
learned that his son Matthew, who had become a Captain in
the Hungarian Army, had died in a Russian concentration
camp. Just a few months later, Dohnányi learned that his
other son, Hans (father of the famous conductor Christoph
von Dohnányi), had been executed by the Nazis for his
involvement in Hungary’s 20 July 1944 assassination plot
against Hitler. Dohnányi, fearing for his own life,
accepted an offer from Árpád Bubik, who had once been his
secretary, to escape Europe and move to Buenos Aires,
Argentina. "
Magyar színháztörténet: 1920-1949
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Because everyone lost
touch with everyone else after the ware many thought the
others has perished. And that is why my dad did not
want to accept the award. But I will go to Israel
to accept it because the woman my dad has the
"hots" for and who they got out of the country. One
of them was my mother to be. Her name was Veronica,
but everyone called her Vera.
She met my dad in Paris
after the war and then went to Brazil together where they
met My moms sister. Edith. Edith married ,
John Gati (a holocaust survivor) in New York. He
was A film animator and she was a head designer
for Givenchy. When I was a kid I met Mr. Givenchy a
fes times Mr. Gucci and all the famous designers, most of
whom where Jewish. Both are gone not
and They have been survived my their two sons Paul
and William or Bill.
Paul Was a great
violinist and William was a great Pianist. I
remember as a kid when they both were in Julliard and
has sold out concerts at Carnegie Hall, there in New
York.
There is more but
I am still filling in the pieces. You see...no one
wants t talk about the war. Especially those who
gave great sacrifices to it.
|
my dad was never really in the war.
My dad had a few Motorcycles. They were one of his hobbies
My fathers glider when he was 18 - I had no idea they had such modern
things in those days. I mean look at that thing. That picture
was taken almost 60 years ago
My dad also had a truck and He and his bother would take the plane
apart, put it in the truck, drive it to the top of some really big
hill or mountain on their property, reassemble it, and launch it
off some cliff. OR--------- THEY COULD PULL THE
PLANE BEHIND THE TRUCK a with a very long cable AND LAUNCH IT INTO
THE AIR.
When I was a kid he used to take me gliding. Just outside of Toronto
I eventually got my STUDENT license. iN THAT CASE
i WAS PULLED INTO THE AIR BY ANOTHER PLANE. IT WAS COOL BUT IT WAS
NOT MY THING.
Pictures of my dad in the old days, before he met my mom
My fathers hunting hawk
I don't understand the attraction, of a Hunting Hawk, personally.
But they didn't have internet in those days. They had to fill of
those days with other things.
My dad having a rest.
A machine my dad designed which was part of a conveyer system for
my grand fathers factory.
Here was a picture of him when he realized he would have to leave it all
behind. In the old country.
Just after the war. They met in Paris and my moms sister was
already making her own clothes
This was the first Family they hid from the Germans During WWII.
In those days there were Edith
on the left and Vera (Short for Veronica on the right)
My mom with an old boyfriend
Here with another one. She was a model for Vogue in those days
and she was being perused by many
My dad was a popular guy with the Ladies too below
This house in the country - one of the weekend homes
Was this where the glider was DAD? The House staff were standing
out in front.
Below a picture of my mother before I
was born
in St. Paulo in Brazil.
She died in Oct. 12 2005 I will always miss
her.
my mom I don't know how old she was here
Then I was born in December 17 1957.
My life started
My life started
Born Toronto Dec. 17 1957
3:30 PM
Toronto General Hospital on University Avenue in Downtown Toronto.
There are not many of us.
Later Became (title only) Prince Charles But not the one you are thinking
of and to use one of my other middle names? Sounds impressive but
is completely useless. And...well Boring!!! So in 2010, I
asked my family that my status be lowered to something I can have fun
with.
I WANTED TO BECOME A "COUNT!"
The outrage of my family that I wanted to become a "Count." No one
on the 700 year history as ever asked to be lowered in status. But now
many can see me as Count-Les's do you know? hahaheheehehe
Because I love the Count from Sesamee Street
Because I love to joke around and it took me 5 years to be lowered down
to a Count, I can officially say that I am one NOW!
SO LET'S COUNT...1...2..3..4...5 BUT WITH A GERMAN ACCENT
Count-Les hahaheheheh Who cares anyway.
I have no castle
I am not King
I don't drive a gold Bentley
and don't own a Rolex which costs more than my house.
I do however have a strong character and I do rule over my own domain.
When I closed my business of Les the Handyman in Toronto in 2012, I
decided it was time to move to Europe and to a country where I could
survive with a better quality of life. Let's face it. Toronto
is expensive, especially if you own a house in the Yonge Egg area.
I worked my ass off for 40 years and although I enjoyed my life, there
was something missing. My dad already moved back to Hungary and I
decided to move to where he was so I could help him better because
flying back and forth every year sometimes twice a year was just too much
for me. In time and expense. It was my best friend Albert to
suggested I move there as the cost for flying back and forth for another
ten years old have been over $100,000.- Insane isn't it?
Not to mention all the other expenses which still has to be paid in
Canada while I was in Europe.
Count Leslie Edward,
Stephen, Platl (Pletl) Hanau
Von Lichtenberg and according to a historian, there
are another 11 names that are supposed to be in there, but it is
just too complicated to find out and a full time job for 10 people.
(name was changed when part of the Platl' moved to Hungary and the a with
the two dots over it was changed to an e because there was no such letter
in the Hungarian alphabet) , as my Grand mother was the last Platl
princess who married an aristocrat in Hungary. my grand father.
also Leslie Bubik.
One day these are the thinks I would like to rule
But I like Leslie best because it was what my mother called me.
Everything about me is true. No lies here. Not even little
white ones. As for my royal name, I tried to figure out the best
way of describing it as my Families' history is complicated and as
borders moved and countries' names' changed, it is a wonder how anything
was kept track of so accurately especially since, the only people who
could read and write was royalty, business people (aristocrats) and
priests who all spoke Latin. It is this which saved Europe in my
opinion. As it was the only international language through-out
Europe. And it is these Priests who also had all the power.
The higher the rank in the church, the more power and corruption there
was. Much of my family where were many women (princesses) who
married into all kinds families of German, Bohemian, Spanish,
French descendant of what we know of and who knows what else.
As, educated people, we all know that Christianity is the biggest
lie in History. And through science and Genetics, we are finding
out more about the truths in History rather than the here-says and
folklore we were led to believe.
I am a one of a kind man. I am not just a Handyman, I am a Any or All
Man. I learned at a very early age that if you are organized
and you want something bad enough, you can accomplish almost anything.
Well I was too young here (below) to accomplish anything, you can see how
my life evolved through this very long page. I am lucky I had
European parents who had class even though they came to Canada with
almost nothing, they build their lives with me in it and I had a good and
interesting life because of it.
Below my mother is holding me. I can remeber times, when I was
still a baby and there was another baby that I didn't like and described
it to my mother, when I was around 16 and she was shocked. She she
told me who was the other baby and where we lived wne I described the
scene in the window. But I don't remeber everything. Just
parts.
Well even though I existed here, I can't say that I started my adventure
until I was at least 6 years old it was then when I started to remember
everything and I still remember almost every Christmas I had. Even
the smells. The smells...pine from the christmas tree, cookies in the
stove. My mom was an excellent cook and her cookies and cakes
were...well...amazing. But she was European. Almost all
Europeans can cook. Not like Canada, where we run to Mc Donalds and
Pizza Pizza or one of the hundreds and even throusands of fast food
restuarants.
But as a kid, it was rare I went to Dairy Queen because my mother also
made the best ice cream around.
That's my dad and me below and yes...that is me on the right.
I have no idea how old I was perhaps 1 or two
OK I am told 1.5
My mom and I. She was always my best friend when I was a kid.
I looked like a dork when I was a kid but there was something about the
girls. They really liked me which made me a little nervous.
|
My
parents made it a point to travel all over Europe.
So while other kids were water skiing at their cottages
(though I did some of that too) , I would be seeing few
things mainstream tourists would never see and that is
something all by itself.
I
will always appreciate those times. Thanks
MOM where ever your spirit is and Dad who in 2018 will turn
96.
I
lost my mom in 2005. I will miss her. She showed me how to
appreciate a good shopping spree....Yes
I love to shop.
This is when I started remembering things about my childhood
and decided to put it all down. This will show you that
I had an amazing childhood because on line anyone can say
anything they want to but how do you really know any of it is
true. In my case it all is and one day I am told by a
Producer, it will also be a movie. "Cohen, don't forget
our deal!"
The
truth always comes out in time. in time
|
I was already a model at 5
(just kidding not true)
When I got a "Tommy Gun" I had just opened this
Christmas present. I remember how much I loved that thing.
I have had women comment on this that they could never go out with me
because I owned a gun. I was 7 year old, give me a break!!!
It's no wonder that the whole world is so screwed up.
Because I have a, near photographic memory, I remember a lot more,
like the smell of the Christmas tree and the smell of my moms perfume and
stuff like that.
This was when I was living at 115 Waterloo Avenue. It was a Jewish
area. My parants did not want their son, to grow up hating jews
like everybody else does, so they made sure that I had lots of
Jewish friends. But That didn't work out too well because when I
found out I was Catholic I found the only other Catholic guy living
there. His name was Claus. He was from a German Family.
A German living in a Jewish area. Hmmm andyway he and I had
our own gang of two. We were good kids so we never did anything
bad. But we soon realized that were were really outbumbered and sot it
was just easier to join everyone else. I am sure I will need to
have this edited because I am not much of a typer, and I am sure I will
have lots of mistakes so this is a work in progress. Just to let you
know.
About this time I drobe my bicycle to city hall. It took me the
morning to get down there and the whole afternoon to get back. I
rember getting it big time. But my parents went easy on me omnce
they found out why I went.
You see...I had the most boring parents in the world. My father
always listened to classical music and my mother was cooking and cleaning
and even runing a business on the side so there was not a lot of time for
them t be with me so I had to keep myself amused. I just could not
believe they were my parents, so I drove down to City hall on my
little bicycle and went to city all on Queen street I think it was (old
city hall) and waited in line and all the people there were wondering
what I was doing there and I told them that I have the most boring
parents in the world and I came here to see if I was adopted. They
thought it was a hoot. But after spending an hour in line, I found
out I was in the wrong line, but lucky for me, everyone know of my
story by there on the floor and goverment workers come out to see of the
story about the kid was true. And all the people in the long line
where I had to go, told be to go first because they too wanted to know.
The women got all my information and then said that I am not really
allowed to tell you, but the other people behind me and in other
lines too said the kid came a long way and the woman caved in and
said I have goodnews and bad news. I then said, I knew it1
I was adopted. She said no I was not. And then I asked
her. ARE YOU SURE????
I MEAN REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY CROSS YOUR HEART AND HOPE TO DIE????
SHE SAID YES.
so I road my bike back with a heavy heart, thinking how that is possible.
There was no internet in those days or even computers just to let you
know.
I had a crush on the girl next door Jannice Small Was her name. she
was about the same age as I was. Also a Catholic family. I
remeber once she wanted to see "mine" and I figured if she
wanted to see mine, I should see "hers." So we went into the shed
and pulled our pants down. She looked at mine and said wow but when
I looked at hers there was nothing there. I felt cheated that there
was nothing there. I guess it woulod be really funny in a way if
filmed right but with all tje kooks out there it might be taken the
wrong way. i didn't know anything about anything and neither did
Jannice, but in time I forgave her that she had nothing to show me.
I remeber our parents found out probably because i think i may have told
my mom but it is OK because Jannice and I never hooked up
I was 5 or 6. Later in life I looked her up. It5 was
fun to meet.
I met every one in the fire department one weekend when one of my friends
and I were playing with matches in the feild behind my house. And guess
what, our little fire grew snd grew when the wind got a hold of it.
Bring cups of water from the kitchen was just not enough to put it out.
I got a long talk about it and really got it, while the guy next door
didn't get any punishment. I always remebered that at an early age that
those who deserve punishment do not always get it.
My parents were overly strict with me I think and jetting hit bt my dads
belf was sometimes a common ocurrance. In time I trained
myself to ignor the pain and think of something else.
That is why I created this whole web site. For people to learn about the
real me. Because many can't believe some of the stories I tell. I
mean i have lived 10 lives because I turned into a time saving nut and
with the time I saved I did even more cool things. I know why I was
so driven. I will tell you at the end of this page.
Also with all the fraud in the internet and people saying that they are
this and they are that. I support everything I say with pictures
right down to every machine I ever created including electric bicycles
and cars.
I don't lie i BELEIVE IN THE THINGS MY FAMILY BELIVED IN 800 YEARS AGO
HONOUR
INTEGRITY
HONESTY
BUT THESE DAYS THEY ARE JUST WORDS ON A PAGE. most people I meet
don't know the meaning of the words and don't practice them either. TOO
bad.
I think I was 10-11 here. I was in Allenby Public school and I was
a Cub Scout at St. James Church in Toronto (NO LONGER THERE)
My parents sent me to shrinks when I was a kid, because i had an abunance
of energy. I sat with these different guys who save me
puzzels to figure out where were really easy and fun, which I was told
many could not do, it turned out later I was smarter than most of
them, I don't know if this was such a good thing to know.
I eventually became a Scout, got every single badge the existed, and went
on to be a Voyager
around this age I met Leslie Powel
Yes the British
Army officer, Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell's' Bother
who lived on the Street opposite to the football field of De
La Salle College which I would end up going to later in life. He
was fascinated that a child would want to talk to him and I was
fascinated with the stories he would tell me about WW1 and WW2 and
the starting of the Scouts.
Me when I was 5-6 in Germany as my dad was there on a 1 year contract.
The sign says Dogs are not allowed into the park.
My mom and I when I was 6
My mom was an elegant women and I miss her.
This was in west Berlin. In those days there was an East
Berlin and later I would find myself there working for the Americans
smuggling micro films and other things out of there. You will have
to read on to find out more who I ended up working for "PART-TIME."
I was 7 here
school picture Allenby Public School. Mr. Rutherford was the
Principal.
we had to wear uniforms and I had a thing for the girl on my left.
My mother and I sitting at a coffee house I think the Berlin
opera is behind us but I got to find out for sure. I was around 7.
My Great Uncle (Arpad Bubik), a Hungarian, was the Director of the
Opera in Germany. He was involved with the assassination attempt on
Hitler's life, the first time. It was his responsibility to get as
many of the people out of Germany, after the failed attempted on Hitler's
life. He smuggled them out to Argentina.
I had no idea that my Uncle used to be the director of that place
during the second world war but he also had his own
entertainment company. my PARENTS WERE TIGHT LIPPED ABOUT THIS STUFF.
Anyway....
Me when I was 9 in the Swiss alps on the top of some mountain
somewhere.
I was 10 here
Allenby Public School in the Avenue Road and Eglinton area.
While in Germany I met a really nice girl. I still remember
her. She really liked me and I was really shy.
I can't recall her name but it was something like Wake but it
was over 45 years ago.
All I remember is she made me pretty nervous.
11 or 12 years old and dropped off at a camp in Hungary
with the rest of my fellow foreigners stretching from Australia to the
U.S.
I was 13 here and it was my first job babysitting. I made
$5.00/hour I was really happy.
i was 15 here
I was 14 here can you pick me out of the picture above? I've lots
of stories to tell about my adventures and mostly from
escaping this place.
The things we did when we escaped. We escaped so many times because we
weren't allowed out and we wanted t see the Hungarian sites.
Eventually we were given extra privileges because we used our mass
numbers of students (Later I was the instigator of joining all the kids,
of all the camps, together in an information sharing organization.
"Pre-internet."
which allowed as to talk to foreigners in other camps and the fact that
our parents were paying a lot of money for us to be there. Then we
wanted our individuality.
1969 - summer Camp 1
1970 camp 2 even
stricter I think they knew we were coming haaheeheeh
1970
You will see a picture of me somewhere on my list of pictures with a
fishing rod in my hand and lots of bags that are. I was off to
Europe on my second trip to Hungary in camp on Lake Balaton. They
already knew love me from the year before. It was apparently a big luxury
for Hungarian kid to go to such a camp. But I think we're spoiled
little rich kids, who needed to be shown, but life is not all a big bowl
of cherries. Total matter how much we thought it and we never
really conformed, we still came away having a better understanding of how
life was for Hungarians behind the Iron Curtain.
When this picture was taken we have escaped 14 times in the span of 6
weeks and it was very pleasurable to figure out new ways to do so.
For example story one - one of the kids in our groups farther was a
Marine, and he wrote home to his parents that we need a boat, and the
father sent to military self inflating black rubber boat, 12 or 14
adults. It was one of the coolest things that never seen.
This is one of the easiest escapes we ever did, however, always coming
back seem to be a problem, and we were caught almost every single time
but only after coming back in.
With respect to the boat we told nobody about it until the night we
wanted to escape. It was time to go into town a local town and have
some fun. We all got dressed up very quietly we snuck out of the
camp under no time was after we were supposed to be in bed 10 o'clock
silly old around 11 we all woke each other up and fortunately for us a
lot of Hungarian did not "squeal" (tell on us) however there were one or
two that really did and we had to take them with us so they wouldn't say
anything to the counselors. We didn't realize the risk we were
taking unto ourselves and on to the others. We just wanted to have fun.
As you can tell by the picture there were several of us, but some were
too young and we did not take responsibility for them coming with us.
So I will tell you who went with us.
There were seven of us all the time who hung out together. And I
have lots of stories to tell you about some of them, many I forgot
this is one of the reasons why I am doing this. But there are some
horrific stories. What I mean by that is terrifically entertaining
and funny.
Let's get to the group. I'm sorry to say I do not remember anyone's
name, but I remember them. After being in the sun your aim can't,
raking leaves, cleaning the washroom for punishment, cutting grass,
and basic all kinds of slave child labor, which we did not agree with, it
was really not much to do with this camp. We will go up every
morning at 6 a.m., to the Hungarian national anthem, like soldiers.
Perhaps it was a pre-training cramp for soldiers. whatever it was,
we didn't like it, and we needed to be organized, and I organized us.
Into a unit. Of course I had no idea what I was doing, but everyone
seemed to want to follow me. Because I want to escape more than
anything, and once they heard that word freedom they wanted to come to.
You never hear of kids wanting to leave camp and going to all links of
doing so because most camps in Canada for instance are a lot of fun.
They have hiking and fishing in sailing and all kinds of cool stuff.
The only thing I remember that was any good at time hearing camp is when
the girls came from a girls camp
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me
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Now let us get back to the story about the raft. So around 11
o'clock, we all dressed up, about 500 m north, because on one of
our excursions, by this place and it was booming with music and we
wanted to go back and have some of this. So we did.
On this big box, we could not lift from his dad there was a cord that
said pull here to inflate. So we did,
I thought it would wake the whole camp up, it inflated in about five
seconds in and do it was very fast, and we had the coolest boat with or
is it an all kinds of cool stuff. It even had a fishing kit a
flashlight with batteries and everything. So, we jumped in the
boat, we paddled around the fence that went into the water on her know
maybe 20 or 30 meters, and paddled around the fence until we found a good
piece of beach, where we could hide the boat. We covered it
Then we went to party I mean we were partying until at least 4 a.m., then
we are getting tired so we went back to the boat, and the boat was gone.
"Holy shit Batman"
What do we do? The only easy solution was to knock on the front
door. It was a last resort thing, because we all got into shit.
They would make us screen the toilets, rake the grounds and it was hard
to do because the soils as hard as rock. They made us do knee mends and
all kinds of other things we thought was torture, But we did not
break. It just motivated us more to get the hell out of there.
When we escaped, we bought all kinds of cool things like stamps and
the chocolate at all kinds of things that were not allowed to eat it at
all let us buy it because they're pricks. So I got in trouble but
it was worth it.
I remember, that that punishment, was probably the worst when we ever
got. They made us clean the toilets for almost a week and a half.
It was supposed to be two weeks, but they let us off because because so
much problems in the camp it was worth just let us get away with it.
But we fought tooth and nail to get it.
The thing that really drove the counselors wild, was, one day, when we
just finished doing the bathrooms, we all felt like shit, we were tired,
we didn't know what to do with ourselves, and we found ourselves at the
door of the chef. Who was always very nice to us. And no
matter what punishment we got, but it always show up at the door and she
would always give us treats. She was the nicest person in the whole
camp.
One day we are at the door and one of the kids did number three, had some
chocolate but he was eating, hahahahah heheheheehe Now
this is a good one. We knew it is Ex-Lax, but when the chef fastest
if we had any more of this chocolate, we look at number three and asked
him, and he said he had all pile of it. So, we went back with him
to get a whole bunch of it, and we gave it to the chef, who said to us
that this will make the chocolate pudding tonight taste much better.
We couldn't have planned it better if we wanted to. Come suppertime
we can hardly wait. And when the chocolate pudding came out,
because we are still being punished from something else that we were not
allowed to have desserts for one week, the chocolate pudding came out and
leave didn't get any. First time we were very happy not to get any.
but then some counselors said we know the chocolate pudding is your
favorite and we're going to allow you to have chocolate pudding tonight.
But we didn't touch it. now if we were so smart, we would have pretended
we were eating at and made sure that it covered our faces very well. but
we didn't touch it, in fact what we did was we told the counselors that
we deserve our punishment and some of us gave the putting back.
This was excellent, because one of the counselors, the one who gave us
most of the punishments had four helpings of the stuff. So, we all
went outside and we sat near the infirmary, and waited and waited and
waited and then...
One kid ran across the compound to the bathrooms and in five seconds
later another kid ran across the compound, and then another 10 minutes
5000 people were running in 5000 different directions. It was so
entertaining I can't even tell you. If the movie was ever made
about this, I bet it would be funny like you can't even imagine.
The problem is that we were not so smart, because we should've ran around
too, and they would not have known it was us. We were just too busy
laughing. So they found another punishment for us, and we found
another way to rebel.
But we needed to get organized. Figure out what recourses we have
at aour disposal. What we could use and who our fathers and
mothers where. We needed outside help but not from Hungarians
because they were afraid of our captors and if they got punished, that
was not fair, so....
I sat everybody down at meetings and wanted to find out what all our
fathers did so that we could harness the ability to escape even more.
The one kid had a dad who was in the Navy, and other kid had a dad who
was a politician, and the best thing of all is one of the kids his dad
was the brother of a very famous communist who apparently was the one who
started all of those camps for foreigners.
We decided to write a letter to this uncle of his, about the
punishments that we used to get because we wanted to go out and they
wouldn't let us out. I remember how hungry were most of the time
because the food wasn't enough.
don't forget story when I was 16 in sharos patak with the steeling of
the Russian flags
and when the KGB came for a visit and the media was watching.
They were very careful not to create an international incident.
We have no idea who this guy was. Or how important he really was.
Lerinca Lios
The very first political communists I ever met. We hated the
communists, we hated what they did to Hungary. But this guy this
guy did us all kinds of things for us.
And when he came , so did the TV and the news and everybody. There
was a zoo with the camp cleaning up. Before these people came.
This is where i saw signs of the cheating that was going on in
Hungary but I was powerless to do anything about it and I was a kid
who just wanted to have some fun and so did all the other kids in the
other camps around Lake Balaton.
So after my friends Uncle, Lios, took us out for lunch, we
told him all the things the camp directors did to us. We were so
hungry we could've eaten the paper. He was really astonished, and
the next day half the counselors were gone and already replaced.
From that day forward the camp was a much better place and when we
wanted to go out they actually took us up and we could see the sights
around the lake. This was after a unified the camps because the
word got around to the other camps that we were being treated really
well, and one of the stipulations was that we were the other camps and
find out how the other kids were doing.
Lerinca Lios appointed us ambassadors, it was kind of cool.
We visited 23 camps around Lake balton in one day it was tiring but
it was a lot of fun. and from what I heard, the other camps got all
kinds of extra goodies too. Our group should have gotten a reward
or something because we changed the way were being treated.
One time when we wanted to go out, they didn't let us, but I already had
a contingency plan.
When we made that list way back when on it, was my dad, who was an
engineer. You see my dad wanted me to go into engineering and
always tried to get me interested in angles and materials and mathematics
and anything. As part of this new camp structure they brought in
extracurricular activities for us to do. Like woodworking,
painting, and other such distractions. When we realized that we
could build things out of wood, I suggested to the guys that we build the
ladder that we could escape and use the ladder over and over. But we had
to design this ladder, so I wrote my dad, and asked him the following.
My mom kept the letter and a photocopied it and I'll put it up here as
soon as I find it again.
If I had 15 two by fours, and I needed to span a fence 10 feet high, and
it had to support the weight of a person ( the heaviest guy in the camp I
think was 100 pounds, then or hundred and 50) weighing 150 pounds, what
kind of an A-frame can be built, so that the person weighing 150 pounds
and climb over the fence and come down the other side safely.
Well you have no idea how happy my dad was to receive such a question.
I also mentioned that we had limited tools and nails, no power tools, so
my dad was ecstatic and sent us the plans to make squares which we could
assemble after we glued them together with wood glue which is stronger
than nails if you put them together the right way. So each kid made
two squares. The teachers were asking us why don't some of us make
triangles or something different. But we all wanted to make
squares. Every one thought we were nuts. But we didn't care.
We knew the mission and the plan and we were always on the same page.
There were never any misunderstandings in my group.
We were able to escape 11 times with that ladder which we assembled like
an giant "A" frame to put over the fence and we used it to leave and come
back before for we would caught. It was the best thing we ever
built and it worked well until my dad was sent a letter which
burned that bridge.
Before we moved into the House on Roselawn, I lived for a while at 88
Willowbank which was a much smaller house. But I still managed to make an
igloo the old fashioned way. Pile up a bunch of snow, jump on it
for half an hour to pack it down and then carve out a place inside.
(that is when I was living in Toronto)
I remember I built this one when I was 7
My hands were freeeeezing. All it was, was piled up snow
packed down and I cut a hole into it.
I don't even see people building forts or snow men and women but I
was doing it since age 8. What is wrong with everyone in this
city? How unimaginative they really are.
Around 7 or 8 the "TWINS" as we called them
where my best friends for many years.
I actually saw one of them a number of years ago. She grew up into
a beautiful woman and I went up to her and said "hi.:" But she looked at
me like I was on some kind of drug. I didn't press the issue
and walked away. I know many people cannot remember like me.
I am starting to forget things too so I decided to put it all here.
They are great memories and I had a great life. I really feel for
many people who have not even been out of Toronto.
Here at 13 I think I saw a show on TV How to build an igloo. So I
vent outside to build one or two. My Parents were amazed. But
why? Anyone could do it if they wanted to, or so I thought.
But, my parents found out later that I had a near photographic memory. I
was being tested at this time while I was attending High School
called De la Salle
College Oakland's run by the Christian Brothers. I
was about 14 when I started in grade 9 in High school and the Redac
Reading course came in from the U.S. to test the kids for a nice
big fee. it was $3000 in those days. Who knows how much it is in
todays money. Perhaps 15,000 but it was well worth it for me
as I could read
It was easy and still is. I build lots of other things out of snow.
Below at 13 I was at Holy Rosary School on St.Clair Close to
Bathurst.
I remeber that at Holy Rosary they flashed an image on the screen
on the board and asked us to draw what we saw. I had the best
picture but that does not mean anything. If you could not draw but
could remeber what it was was more imporant but my parents already
had me enrolled at OCA, on weekends. OCA was the Ontario College of
Art. And i was already doing sculptures and drawing. I made
some cool things there but, who know what ev er happened to them. i
learn how to skulp from clay and even how to fire it. It is a
process like an oven caled a kiln and they heat it up to a very high
temperature for a certain time and when it comes out. it is
called pottery. You could also decordate you creation with various
paints called glazes, I think.
I didn't like Holy Rosary so much as a much rougher element was
introduced into it and now the kids who came from lower income families
went there too where at Allenby, the stock was higher quality.
I had a few friends, David, NMonyeir from Kenya or someplace like that
and then there was Joey whio beat the crap out of me almost every recess
and I was afraid to go outside I was a skinny kid who was a big chicken
and the bullys always had their way, stealing lunch money food and so
on.
Once Joey beed me so bad I had to go to the hospital. He was kicked
out of school for a while but when he was back so was the trouble.
The schools didn't really do much to protech the inocent. Much like
after you grow up, you realize that the criminals have all the rights and
you have none, so I learned that at an early age.
However that did not help me. When I went to Del, i was so happy,
but when Joey was tranfered there, I would expect another four years of
hell.
13 or 14 and off to Europe again
This was the 2nd year I was at a Hungarian camp for the summer at Lake
Balaton
this time I was bringing lots of fishing stuff and I was meeting many of
my old buddies from the previous year, as I stayed in contact with most
of them. I still know one guy even today thought I should look him
up as he lives in Brazil.
Playing at the Summit tennis club in Toronto, the people were too boring
and snobby there for me, so I went on to find another hobby which later
became photography.
Going to De La Salle High school was prestigous but dangerous for me.
But then I met some of the other nerds and we had our own group which was
useless but we didn't get beat up as much bet none of my friends
really came to my rescue. I was almost always on my own. No
one told me that if I beat the shit out of the biggest bully in the
school that no one would bother me anymore. I had to find that out
all my myself also with the help of Albert who is still my best friend
today.
Abert is from the Philipinnes and also came from a good family, I
still know his parants and most of his brothers and sisters.
I was 14 hear with my mom at lake Balaton in Hungary - see Tihany in the
background
Tiy see the "421" in the background. That was our house number in
Toronto close to Avenue Rd. and Eglinton. M5N1J9 WOW I still
remember the postal code.
15 and off to Europe again
We went to Rovine then in Yugoslavia now Croatia
Amazing hotel on the top of the Hill. it is no longer
there. I was there again in 2017
My mom haggling at the Market in Rovine. Canadians need to see what
it is like to go to a real market. That is the fun thing about it.
You never pay the marked price.
No one ever does.
Me in the middle with my cousin Bubik Istvan on the left, (Later in life
my cousin Bubik
Istvan, would go on to be in films with Arnold Swartzenegger
and others to win an American Oscar for best actor in a foreign film.
I was in a few moved with him. my First I played a German Tourist,
in the 1995 moved called Istalo. These where modern day gladiators
who fought each other for money, and I played one of the
German tourists there. It was a lot of fun. I will have
to tell the story roof the date I went out on with 23 Hungarian women.
Probably the best date I was ever on. It lasted 11 days.
Unfortunately my cousin died to die in an accident at the age just over
40) the other kid was in the same hotel. He was from Germany
and came with us on almost all out swimming excisions. The three of
us had lots of adventures.
We swam into a nude beech by accident It was.....like going to
heaven.
Remember now we were 15. After a while it wasn't so interesting. And we
moved onto other things.
One day, we were standing in line waiting to get postcards. There
were two really cute girls in front of us. My cousin and I
spoke Hungarian to each other because his English was not good yet and it
was the only way were could communicate, and it was especially good in
other countries because no one could speak Hungarian so we were able to
joke around saying lude things about people.
This was no exeption, but it was Istvan (Steve) who, was sayhting all the
things were where going to do with these girls. How he was going to
do them, and how we were going to do this and that. it was so
funny. Later in life, he and I would make a whole restaurant with 200
tourists laugh so hard they would cry and gasp for air.
Anyway back to the story....I was laughing so hard myself I
also pied in my pants. When the girls finally finished buying their
post cards, one of them turned around and in fluent Hungarian said:
thanks for the compliments. As i turned red, and they walked
away, my cousin said: we can pick them up and he ran to them
and asked them both out for us. And they said YES!!!!
Steve and I were lucky as we had own room in the hotel so brings
the girls back to it after the date was...convenient. Don't worry
about the spelling in this I am just trying the stores fast and I
will fix the spelling later.
Below is a picture of my Aunt In New York. She changed the fashion
industry and became a very well
known designer when she was working for Mr. Givenchy. I met
him a few times when I was a photographer doing some layouts.
Here Is Edith Gati and Her Late Husband John and My idiot cousins
William on the left and My other Cousin Paul (A well known Violin player)
I remember going to sold out concerts at Carnegie Hall I remember
went I went out with Ofra Harnoy when I was a kid that the news
spread to my cousins in New York somehow. I wonder where Ofra is
these days? John Gati was a movie producer that that pointed
a promising movie maker in the right direction. Can you guess
who that was? It starts with an "S" and ends in a "g."
Yes Spielberg.
Spielberg was at his funeral.
Here is the story my Uncle told me to TYPE IN LATER
This was in Ontario somewhere my dad on the right
At 15 and 16 I was off to the Sarospataki to the summer University.
I still have my Diplomas
I studied art, language and even Hungarian dance.
You will see more about it below but I loved to do the Hungarian dance
because all the guys who started, all thought it was gay to Dance and the
rest of the guys all dropped out. But for me it was excellent.
Every time, I wanted to hang out with "the girls" al I had to
say is "Let's practice" and I was dancing with 8 Girls WOWeeeeee
!!!!!!!
the two on the left were also from Toronto, the next two where from
Michigan, I can't really remember the next 3 but the last one I
really had the hots for. She was from Sweden. When she kissed
me, the toes curled and I felt like I was on the moon in my own
little world. it was really her which helped me break out of
my sky skin, even though I never told her. It was the only thing I
regret in my life that I should have handled the situation better and it
bothered me right up until I found her on the Internet years later, and
for which I apologized to her for being such a dork! I think she
appreciated it and it took quite a load off my shoulders.
Me at 19 and off to Europe again to stay with a German family in
Dusseldorf Heir Moller for the summer. That was my mom on the
right.
The Mollers were a very nice Family and where very nice to me. But
Barbara, as not really so nice to me. I meet her several years
before at the airport with some of her girlfriends and we write to each
other all the time until she invaded me to stay at her parents place, one
summer. I remember going to work with her father who owned a
steel fabrication company and I hung out with him most of the time.
I remember when i arrived by train and there were lots of people
waiting for me. Barbara's parents count speak English so they
hired a translator to be able to communicate with me. They were
looking all over for me but I was sitting there against a post but they
could not see my Canadian flag. My fault!! Anyway when we
arrived, their limo driver picked us up and all their staff were lined up
to meet me when I went in.
We discussed the types of food I liked so the cook could make them, I
told them my favorites which are still the same today, lobster, oysters,
mussels, and so on. They were shocked so i told them if they make
me hamburger's and french-fries every day I will be happy with that.
I also had my own man servant who put my close out every day. and
my own room. I remember I got lost in the house and it too me a
week to figure out where everything was. When the dinner bell rang
I was there with Heir Moller but Barbara almost was never there.
Until one night I was wearing my house coat and found myself in Barbara's
bedroom with a friend of hers. Her friend was really cute, and we
all ended up in Barbara's bed together having a little fun. it was
the highlight of my trip.
When heir Moller opened the door of Barbara's bedroom he saw all of us in
bed. He didn't really say anything, just closed the door.
Thank GOD there was a cover over all of us.
I never really spoke to Barbara after that night, and secided to hang out
with the dad instead. He and his friends were much more
interesting.
these mountains are known as THE SLEEPING GIANT in Austria, I think
I was also in Venice at 12 AND WENT LOOKING FOR PIZZA EVERYWHERE.
They didn't have it. It was upsetting. I didn't like it very much.
We only stayed for a few days.
Found another paper holder my dad made
on the right a Spanish sand stone carving which my mother was importing
from Spain.
She has quite a business supplying a few stores in Toronto.
When I was 15 I studied Hungarian Culture and Language at the Sarospataki
Nyari Colligium
While there I learned Hungarian Folk dancing and before we went in to
Perform among the other students we were joking around in the courtyard
of a castle. Two of the girls were friends of mine from Toronto and
the other two were Americans. I remember when we started classes
most of the guys were in. But they thought it was feminine to dance
and all quit. By the time of the performance I was the only guy
left. Believe when I say, I didn't complain when I practiced with
18 girls. It was.....GREAT!!!! THESE WERE 4 OF THE 18. BELOW.
I DO NOT HAVE A PICTURE OF ME UNFORTUNATELY - i found
them!!!!
I studied Hungarian at the Saroshpataki Nagy collegium
(summer University) in Hungary and also studied Hungarian dance.
All the guys in the class dropped out because they thought dancing was
"gay." I was a lucky guy because I got to practice with 12
women and I am not gay. WOWweeeeeeee. What a lucky guy I was. I was
16 here. 4 girls couldn't make it when the pictures were being taken
I has a crush or the girl on the far right.
I never cared what other thought. I always did my own thing.
And ok there were always girls around and I loved it but most were
just my friends. I can actually just be friends with women without
getting involved.
My first Camera below
I always had an interest in photography and photographing models came
later first the summer I spend as an exchange student. The girl
went to my house for the summer and I came to hers.
That
is her above
And I was holding her dog. Her parents were not wealthy but they
were very nice. My parents made it a point for me to stay
with all kinds of people so I did not become a snob. I am glad I
never did and I thank my mom and my moms sister for that. She My
Moms sister was a designer at Givenchy in New York, and as snobby as the
name was Mr. Givenchy was not, nor was my aunt who always showed me
about people and how to read them. She was not just a designer and
perhaps Mr. Givenchy's favorite, she also know more about life than most
people I met in mine.
What I looked like in Wungan ( I am not sure I spelled that
right) and the women was the exchange student who stayed at my parents
place while I was in Germany. That is Her dog in my lap.
This one was Wungan im Algoy Germany where I met Barbara K.
OH Barbara!!!! She was a vision. A typical snobby family, with am amazing
daughter, who drove her sports car (Opel) to ride. Getting up
enough nerve to talk to her was the hardest thing for me to do but after
that my life changed forever.
I friend to wake up every morning when she left and tried to engage her
in a conversation every morning until one day she asked me if I could
ride? Horses!Q! Get your minds out of the gutter!!! and I
said yes. I mean I lied I didn't really know what to say. If
I said NO she could od said OH well I got toe go now. I just could
not take the chance and then she asked me if I want to go with her.
YAAAAAAA!!!!!!:::)))))))
I told the people I was living with and went. it was a very fancy
riding school with very expensive cars out in front and rich kids
everywhere mostly girls. It was like I died and went to heaven.
There where girls everywhere with right rising close on
yahoooooooooo!!!! As Barbara as talking to me, it was hard to
concentrate on what she was saying. And when she asked me if I
wanted a horse I had to escape so I made up an excuse that I have to go
to the washroom and run into one of the buildings. where a
man who looked like the boss was training other riders. I asked
him. if he could teach me how to ride in 20 minutes as I had
to impress a woman outside. All the riders where smiling. 6
girls and 1 guy who was laughing at me and the trainer asked me how much
money do i have in my pocket, so I fooled out 10 marks. He then
told me that if I show up every morning at 6 am and clean the stables, he
will show me how, then he will teach me how to ride like no other.
And I said OK!!! Still in the back of my mind Barbara who was
wondering what happened to me.
I told her I didn't feel well, but i would ride tomorrow. And do it was
that I dogged her almost every day for a week. The trailers name
was Felix who would become my friend but I did not know it was the
Spanish riding school. One day I left the stall open to the
favorite horse I always clean his stall the best. And I ent to see
Barbara ride and this horse was following me around, and Felix saw this
and came to me and said iwillmatch you with this horse. i didn't
think too much about it. I rad almost every day practicing
improving until Felix told me to go for my fitting in building there.
I fitting???? What do you mean? I went in and just about had a
heart attack. I was being fitted for a Spanish riding school
uniform. Wholly shit!
They told me to come back in two weeks. I forgot to mention that
the people I was staying with were very nice to me. When I told
them about the riding school, they bought me a small motor cycle to get
around. It was an old one but it did not matter to me. That
was really nice of them to do that which really expended my world.
And when I was waiting for my uniform to be finished, I went and
started talking to some of the other neighbours and met a family with a
little girl. i think she was around 12 at the time. and they took
me sailing. They asked if I wanted to come and I did go and they
had a very beautyful boat on lake Bodensee.
I I was already a sailor because I learned how to sial years before and
my father also has a Yaught with lots of friends who had very big
sailboats so I was already quite skilled.
story to continue.
But the peole really liked me, went away for two weeks on vacation and
asked me to take car of their boat. WHAT????? what pannet was
I on????
Now the sailing story
then back to the camp all dressed up in my uniform which looked very
cool. I don't know what happened to the film of those pictures.
I still have one of Barbara and some pictures of the horse I rode but of
noithing else not even Felix but it does not really matter. Every
time the Spanish Riding school came to the Canada Winter fair, felix was
always with them and the only reason I went to the fair was to see him
and say hellow. You see, I had a nickname which stuck. There
was a rumor through the school about the CANADIAN COWBOY . ME!!!
But I am no cowboy but one day my hose didn't want to participate
and tried to thow me off but, there was no way I wanted to go on an
involinrtary flight, so I didn't let him t"goofy" of there.
Lipinsaner horses are huge. If you fall of one of those, it will
really hurt eventhough there was about 1/2 a meter of soft stuff you
could call on in the training area. and so goes it every time I
went to the show, I didn't have to ask any permission to go in the back,
I just said the Canadian Cowwboy is here and felix always lety me come in
and the students where really excited to meet THE CANADIAN COWBOY.
When I wentr back to Canada, my parents sent me to Sunnybrook riding
school to see if I wanted to persue riding. I was watching some
stiff girl riding around and around. There were lots of people
there watching her. Her form was wrong, her stance was not tight.
I thought it was a new rider so I told the person beside me that
her form was all wrong and that woman turned to me and with a loud voice
said, THAT IS THE BATIONAL CHAMPION OF CANADA. And so I had my
answer. If that was the best Canada had to offer, I would just pass
on the horseback lessons. And when they found out that I learned at
the Spanish Riding School, they were practically kissing my feet.
But the girls there were, nothing like the Germans. All the
Canadian could talk about was their horses. Ok I get it, it is
their life, but it was not mine. Anyway a have smelled more horse
manuer that I cared to and I had no interest to show off. But they
really wanted me to ride. Actually I was alittle afraid thinking
that it was my horse who was sparter than I was in Germany and the
trecks I could only do with a horse that wanted to please me, rather than
an idiot who does not know anything. So i decided to stick
with the photography and after superman had his accident, I never
rode again.
After I learned how to Ride at the Spanish Riding School of Vienna
training camp.
I had lots of great friends there including a farmers daughter who
attacked me almost in front of her parents. The parents were
pretty cool people. That was a fantastic summer.
When I was going home one day, I took a turn down the wrong driveway just
to see what was there. Because I was alsways curious in life, and
because no onse else ever turns down any road, they never get to see the
really cool stuff. I want down the road and came to a farm that had
really huge tractors. I have never seen tractors so big. i
got off mu bike and were looked at them. The farmers wife first
came out and could speak a little english and I told her I have never
seen tactors this big before. He daugher could speak more english
and we hit it off right away. She really liked me for some reason.
Bout she looked fantastic with no makeup on. and she invided me on
a speep over. I asked her what her parants thought of it, and
should be ask them. She said it will be ok. NO IN
CANANDA!!! So I went back to the place I was staying at and
told them I am going to a sleep over at at farm. The girl took me
around the farm. Let's just say that it was sure interesting
the places she liked to do it. In those days there was no aids but
I am sure glad I caught nothing else either. she especially liked
to do it when people were close by like her father who had a big
shotgun in the kitchen. Anyway noything happened to me. These
people let me into their home and they were very nice to me especially
their daughter.
Probably the best summer I ever had
Me at 17 when I started my fashion photography business
this is a self Portrait with the first two real models I had to shoot.
My Cousin Chris arrnaged it for me. They were friends of hers.
And I took lots of pictures of them. I also built a very cook
dardroom in my parents basement, where i did all of the developing.
That's me on the right. (below)
My mom had my collect stamps and that was good for a while
but I stopped after a while but I have some pretty cool stamps now.
I took all of these pictures and I deveoped them as well and made prints.
people were lining up for me to do them because I was good and fast and
able to have contact sheets ready the next day.
I won many awards for my pictures and this was one of them.
The damn bird took off with my keys and I tracked it to a tree,
which I later climbed to find a nest filled with rings, money and all
kind of treasured. Thank got my keys were in there too.
Being Royalty if nothing will get you invited to the right parties
But that is about it. hahaheheheeh
Apple wine in Germany. Now this was an amazing place. We
stayed in the hotel and it was in the mountains I think but who
knows. Who knew what a great feeling you could get from apple
juice.
Here I was about 20 and I just bought my first motorbike.
This bike was cool. But it shifted gears beside the gas tank.
I was 24 here below
I was shooting an album cover and usually fit myself in
on some of the shoots
I hear later My Cousin Monica got Married , that is me on the right
behind my cousin. It took me 5 years to grow that mustache.
HAHAHEHEH
Below On one of my reading weeks when we went to the house in
Florida. Thank God for my parents houses all over the world.
It was a in a really nice part of town and it was really big. But
most important of all it had orange and grapefruit trees.
Not far from the house was a guy who had an armored personal carrier in
his yard, a bunker in the basement and enough weapons to start a small
war, just in case something ever happened. This guy was ready
or anything. That is me in the tank. I was around 22
Another year going down to the house I ran into one of these guys.
You see I did a little of this and a little of that for them
And I will tell you abut the biggest drug bust in Florida's History. My
device caught the bad guys and I was invited to the bust. it
was one of the coolest things I have ever seen or have been on.
I was given a bullet proof vest, and I had to sign a paper in case
something happened to me. I was the fourth guy though the
door after the knocked it down with a big battering ram.
.
Pics missing to add later when I have time. My date with the D.A.
in Florida.
While at school i got a scholarship because I had the best hospitality
and interior design thesis After Graduating from Ryerson University
in 1982, i didn't go into design but was a resident manager of a
hotel and lived on the top floor. Just like in the movies. i
was 24 years told. The hotel had lots of problems with
their food and beverage and bar and room sales and front desk, and
so one by one i went and fixed them all. it was hard to ear the
respect of the other people but one by one I did that too. I
doubles the profits of the restaurant among other things but i
hated my job because i was always there.
I also won recognition for many of my marketing projects and group
presentation which were never shy of amazing.
When i was in the hospitality Industry, i designed restaurants and
eventually started building them too. Mostly in Toronto and some in
Hungary. menu design was very important. Your web store is your menu. i
also had a background in Photography because it was always hobby of mine.
So when I started to take pictures of food and put them on the menus,
people responded better to that, then just text. also what they taught us
was to describe in detail what the things are that they may not
understand.
After Graduating from Ryerson Polytechnical University, I worked in the
hospitality industry for a while. My first Job out of school was a
Resident Manager of a Hotel. I found quickly that the Hotel
management area was not for me and fell back on one of my hobbies called
photography. I also worked for Ideal food and restaurant equipment
designing restaurants. Before I went out on my own.
I used to do fashion photography and have been taking pictures for
over years. I used to developed my own films and make my own prints
too. Here are some of the models and pictures I have taken of
people
This was a 14 your old girl, and after the make up artist and hair
stylist was finished with her,
this is what she looked like. Her mother was astonished.
Most of these were done in s Studio but many can be done one on location
I still do photography. The one above was a very good model and
taught at Eli nor Flushers'
At one time, we where the Whose Who, in the photographic Business
I still am a very good photographer
I am going to give away all the negatives I have from the over 7,000
models we shot under the company name of Fine Focus Inc. Any
models where shot by Les, can make arrangements to come and pick them up.
There is no charge for them. I have scanned in the ones I
want to keep.
Shooting with animals is a very difficult thing to do.
These were not girlfriends. They were models who hired us to
take pictures of them from the top agencies in Toronto, New
York and even Germany I bet you were thinking Paris.
By the time I got here I was shooting with Contax camera with Zeiss
Optics
and Hasselblad too Bust my business partner was more into that stuff than
me.
I was 23 here
Later i went back to school to take electronics and I had a
3.8 grade average
I was on the deals list and the percipients list, whatever that means
and i went to work for TD Bank
A year or two later I was Les the Handyman
After my Cousin won an Oscar, his life changed forever and so did
mine.
As I entered the world of entertainment and was in a few movies with him.
I played small parts but they were entertaining parts some with lines.
Also did lots of theatre photography
click here
for more pictures with me and my cousins in Hungary
|
I jump to 30 until I
can find pictures to fill it in.
! was 30 here (below)
and I was very interested in this women.
I went to Cleveland,
where she lived and bought a house with her girl who
later embezzled it out of me.
Her name was Nikki Di
something
|
| People told me that they could not
believe she was like that but I quickly realized it was not
really her fault. Most Americans are like that. I almost
married an American woman and found out just how dishonest
her whole family really was. A story which is in my book
which I am writing. I have has a few bad experiences with
Americans, but not all Americans are bad. I hope I find a
nice honest one if that is in the cards. |
|
I remember it quite well.
I lived in the house as I was renovating it, in a tent to
keep the dust out.
|
The industrial show. A must see of the innovative machine Hungary
was producing and I went with my dad who was a retired engineer.
in a kitchen bathroom in galley air-conditioning monitors backup camera
and the smoothest ride in I never had on a bus.
Of course going to Hungary is nothing you don't speak to the locals.
this is also an interesting machine, as it was very versatile and
allowing many components to give tangent at different times for various
tasks.
My dad ordered some fish that he didn't particularly like.
\
I thought this interlocking tiles very interesting as well. They
could be laid down over uneven ground for machines to drive over.
What a brilliant idea.
A traditional plate in Hungary. I used to go every year.
I was retained by the Family librarian as the Family go for meeting
and photographing family members all over Europe
Below was a great Aunt 111 year old remembered what the Czar of
Prussia had a crush on her and gave her all kind of gifts, as I pointed
one out and said that is very cool what is it? Sparked a 4.5 hour
conversation of her youth.
On those days I was using a twin lens reflex Mamiya Camera shown
below. This was a 2.25 inch film and all I shot was black and
white.
She was 110 When I interviewed her as I am the investigator
in the family to find out stuff. She told when the was 16 that The Czar
of Prussia was after her and she shows me al kids of beautiful gold boxes
and other things she was given. it is kind of amazing that she was
able to hide all of that During two wars. And still have it to
show. She died a few years later. I spent all day with her.
She was one interesting relative. She told me when she was a girl
none of the roads were paved and that the motor car was not actually
invented in the states. It was Invented in Hungary. It was
Ford that made cars for a mass-market. And "you could have any
colour you wanted as long as it was black."
Most of the time when where was information about the family, I want sent
to check it out.
Platl was the original name and dates back to 1417 where some
Cardinal was a member of the family court
talking with a cop
Hanging out with the girls. At a party in Hungary, WOW can
they every dress nicely. They love to look good.
They were friends of a famous cousin a I had.
These people know how to Party, so I party with them. No sex, just
dancing and hanging out
Same party at 6:01 AM
A friend
Getting back to the hotel at 8:36 AM
After 2 days of partying and playing in a movie.
here sitting with my late cousin Istvan
Bubik Istvan was an Oscar Winner
He won or best actor in a foreign film
this is him below. He was
my best friend all his life.
\
A Parade in Tihany on Lake Balaton
I took these for their tourist board
a typical peasant house chimney not taken the same day as the picture
above. Actually it is another village This is a copy of a 800
year old mud house you can almost heat with a candle.
me taking the picture in a mass in a 1000 year old church that is me on
the lower right corner.
the current priest of that church
A party at my house with my friends
when I first started www.Lesthehandyman.com
in 1987 - 88
People said that my mustache made me look older. Thank GOD.
I was 38 at the time
I got rid of it when I was in club med and wanted to go snorkeling and
couldn't because the water kept coming in my mask when diving so I shaved
it off.
In 1998 or there about's I used to rid with a group of people in an anal
cycling group. Many were jealous of me because I had a successful
business and I had a sense of humor I think. People started
to want to hang around me and they liked that even less. I was
there just to ride.
I cycled for about 2 years with them until I could do it no more.
Now I cycle by myself, but I have a good sound system on my new bike and
it keeps me occupied. I'm in green in the back 4th from the left.
When I was riding with theses guys and gals, this is what I was riding
Now you can see the same shock absorbing system on my recumbent
which I had build for me a few years later.
In 1999 after enough politics with that cycling club I designed a bike
which would be so much fun to ride, that I would actually do it.
And come next year I will be doing lots of it
That is what happens when an over achiever combined with an ambitious and
driven business man.
I wanted something no one has, and still 6 years later they
are just getting around to copying some of the things on it. It is
OK. it does not bather me in the slightest. This year 2007 -
8 I will motorized trailer with a solar assisted power pack which I
Designed and it will help me get up big hills.
Ride for heart I did every single year since it started. Here I was
invited by a friend on left and his wife to ride with them.
I rode the bike I designed for about 6 years See it below If
you don't watch so much TV, you to can do many things with your life.
2001 Austria
Spanish Riding School of Vienna
where I learned how to horseback ride. I heard Felix retired many years
ago. He would remember me!!!
Mozart's house
I went to the opening of this Art gallery
This is what the Art Gallery looks like from the outside and
What it looked like from a distance
Candy store in Vienna MMMMMMMMM Yummies
the gummies taste out of this world there.
On may way to Prague by car, saw these doors in a small village.
below
I was 42
at 49 this is what I looked like.
2001 Prague
I found a church with our family crest carved into one of the pillars
In those days it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
Czechoslovakia
in 2014 I met a nice woman who wans a descendant of the Frankopans,
Zirinski's and Subic Royal families. She told me that we are good enough
friends to add them to my web site so here are some very cool crests. Her
family owned part of Europe, put kinds in Power and owned most of the
castles around their domain. Just search their names on Wikipedia. It is
good reading, Her family can be traced back to the Romans. Now that's
Impressive.
A picture from the top of some fort
Taking a tour.
Where my hotel was
Inside the church at the castle
The castle entrance in Veszprem near Lake Balaton in Hungary
inside the walls of that castle
A classroom at a University inside the building below
A university in the same town as the castle
inside the courtyard of the university
The theatre in Budapest. My late cousin in the middle
Back stage with a very famous Russian Producer
Another cousin centre stage is a Ballet Dancer
Here in a special show celebrating Hungarian Costume and dance
Radishes at the market
beautiful hand painted eggs
old amour. Can you imagine wearing that stuff on a hot day. I
put some stuff on one day to see what it must have felt like and then I
had to go to the washroom hahaheheheehehe
One of the metal badges put on walking stick of Germans and Hungarian
to show where they have been. More you have the more places
you have been.
this is the came of a old Hungarian Man 102 years old
I met him in 2004 in the Kings Castle
This guy had about 30 on his cane and he wanted to tell me about
every single place he went.
I love old people because they have so much to say but many people
don't really want to listen. it is a shame.
A stork in a next . A very rare site these days as pollution
have just about wiped them out.
They say it is very good luck when you find one.
You found one to. perhaps you found me. Perhaps each other
who knows.
fun
What's that???
i-almost-had-fun.com
I have some pretty amazing experiences to share and eventually tell
me some of yours.
What it is like when you do not
have a party to go to.
Halloween 2000
I wanted to win first prize
I won 1str prize, 2nd prize 3rth 4th and 5th even though there was no 4th
and 5th
I have to find a picture with the completed costume, I put together.
The Parrot sewed to my shoulder, the eye patch and the swords. and fake
crooked teeth.
I would smile at women , and you should just see their faces. It
was priceless. It was better than Master Card I also got an empty
bottle of Captain Morgan's rum, with colored water in it and pretended I
was drunk. I wish I had video taped it. When I went into the
Royal York Hotel, the tourists thought, I was hired by the hotel. I
have not had so much fun for years. I was 37 here
That was the best Halloween I ever had.
IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, YOU CAN SEE THE PARROT ON MY RIGHT
SHOULDER.
This was a very boring place. Quite and after 3 days of it, I
wanted to leave. I told them they could keep 1/2 my money, just get
me out of there. I traveled alone so it is important for me
to have some fun.
Some people who there called us the "Les group." Many people
who wanted to hang out with me because it was more fun. I will never go
to club Med again. What an rip off. So I went out on my own excursions
And did my own things. I rented jeeps and busses and hired guides
and started to have am amazing time, until I came back only to eat.
Diving for konk
Don't ever go to club med. It is a rip off.
Don' follow us! Were lost too!
I built one very big sand castle. i wish I had an after picture.
I love to sale and can sail these easily. i like a good 44 ft star
which I can sale by myself under full sail. I used to race them
many years ago/
The accommodation and food was great but the company was not. I could
hardly wait to get the hell out of there. it was like a
prison for political.
i was so board, I just went around the whole time and tool pictures of
everything. Then people started to complain, according to club med, that
i was taking pictures of everything. I am a tourist you
morons!!!
Many times, I felt like i was the only one there. the excitement
they
promised me was...well...
I will never go to Club Med ever again.
Halloween 2001 Dressing the house
See the witch on the left. it says on the Sign
IF YOU DRINK, DON'T FLY!"
--------------------------------------------
New York Bike A thon 2001
Washington DC 2002
Bike-a-hon and Langley Virginia
Me in the Washington Post
I was in the same newspaper as the director of the C.I.A. and the
president of the United States Cool Eh. The Secret Service guys
even let me ride my bicycle beside the while house. Cooooool
I was just not allowed to take pictures but that is OK
that is me front and centre Riding the bike I designed below
here is a better picture of it below.
I did not design and built this one. it was already nearly perfect.
i just added a few things
like the carrier in the back and the radio in the front and the
bike alarm.
When I was hired by a translating company to help the police.
Translating English to Hungarian and Hungarian to English
==============================
Europe 2001 When I was in a movie with my cousin called Istalo
You have to understand the scope of how famous my cousin really was, in
Hungary.. he was as famous then that Schwarzenegger is to us.
He even has an Oscar, for best foreign film. So he is no
small fry. The thing is that he was my best friend. And he
died in 2005. OB had lots of fun before then, like in
this film.
Below, one of the actors, "Dorka" was helping me with my lines.
Dorka
Gryllus AND Bubik Laci
Below with continuity expert. It was this person's responsibility
to make sure that this flowed from one scene to the next.
I had no idea what the complexities of making a film were when they
decided to put me in it. Because they gave me lines, they had to
fly in writer to add them. It turns out I played an excellent
German tourist. And when they brought in a busload of extras I was
the only one headlines. The funny thing was that it was during
dessert and I was sitting there in hall. You see the movie and the
girl dork up with the server in the movie.
in the script, this was during a desert time in the movie, I
looked down at on my plate was the most amazing looking desserts I've
seen in years, so I decided to eat it and in the middle of the taken,
director says cut. And asks "what are you doing Leslie?"
and I say am eating the cake. The director says: "you're not
supposed that." And so he had to shoot it again that new piece of
cake. But on the second taken was perfect.
It was a lot of fun.
Here, there are putting on makeup before might scene.
This was one of the cameras that use are ruled by a series of tracks.
Two or three guys pushing this card while the cameraman was swinging it
around same time .it was pretty cool. But it is not the first the
outset
after a hard day of shooting, these guys would go out and have a game of
soccer. Of course they would celebrate by drinking lots of beer and
then they would go out drinking afterwards.
all of these three guys above are actors feed on the left at be in the
middle I don't know who the guy on the right is. this film was Shot
near the "Hortobaj planes" in Hungary.
they would drive the actors back and forth every time they were needed.
It was a long trip. Depending on where an actor lived, could
have been a several hour drive. 
because there were so many famous actors play in this movie, they have to
be guarded by the military and sometimes by police escort.
and they took us to the original site. A lot of fun. I've
never seen so many military and cops in one place before.
Because the setting was in a riding stable, we have an unlimited use of
the horses and ride every day. show off my skills which I
learned that the Spanish riding school of Vienna. The sources
were pretty smart to be understood me.
This is not me in this picture, but a horseman. They could make the
worst lie down on command, while snapping a whip. No horses were
ever hurt.
The producer of the movie is on the left.
The producer of many Films in Hungary. He thinks I am a
hoot. I was in two of his films with my cousin
and this guy on the right, is another famous producer From France.
when they picked me up in Budapest they also picked up Dorka who
almost slept the whole way, as she was also working in the city.
All these actors work very hard. Doing this made me realize I don't
ever want to become an actor. Though I'm not afraid of hard work,
it is well beyond that.
What dorks looks like when she was sleeping. Dorka is one of the
most
famous actors in Europe and is also a friend of mine
Europe 2002
===============================
Montreal 2003
Out for a ride - I usually do not rent these things but it is
better than a cab in a place where I
really can get lost easily
When I rented it for a few hours, I had no idea how big it really was.
it was kind of a waste of money but once in a while you have to do
it.
KINGSTON 2003
WHERE I PARKED MY BIKE
OUT FOR A BEER
champagne and seafood. I am in my element here.
it was in this restaurant and it was excellent.
Then i went to a real working village of pioneers and thought
i would do some carpentry work in a real shop
The Canadian fort which was never used to depend against an attack from
the Americans
All the stuff works. it is impressive
How is it they could build this stuff but we have nothing that
works today
Hmmmmmm
When I was in the Dominican republic to look at construction projects, I
decided to go into the jungle and do my own tour and here are
some of the interesting people I bumped into. Remember that I cannot
speak Spanish.
Nov. 2003
A lumber yard and hardware store have everything you need to build a
house even though most are made with concrete.
Guarding bricks so they don't "disappear."
A Dominican Republic Hardware Store
Screws by the Kilo
The local pharmacist and her assistants
I visited many construction project because i want to see how
things are being built all over the world. Here the foundation is
built like the Canadians do theirs. No big deal. They don't have a winter
they have to deal with, but I would use concrete not block.
On the mountains by the Haiti border
Some nuns and a priest
Great ad
Took a tour and got to the boat before the rest of the tourists
The side of a hut people were living in
I am a good photographer,,
I have been doing it for 35 years
A fort near the ocean
It is better without all the tourists
Just a person in a village. I have no idea where I was. That was
all the fun in it. Almost everyone I know need to know where they
are going. I just need to go. That is the difference between
me and everybody else. The only way you will have adventure is when
you enter the unknown. I like that.
Can you find the turtles. What you do if two of them swam up to
you? The two of them were bigger than a VW. I think
they thought I was lunch.
14 And beautiful. I met her and her family up in the mountains.
They thought I was lost.
Jungle patrol on boarder near Haiti
Walking in the jungle and came to a watering hole with really cool
looking rocks in the distance. Then I get a little closer.
See what is at the top of the picture.
No!! I did not wrestle the alligator!!!
But I did see some cool things in the trees. if you stay really
still for a long time, then the animals come out.
One Ass is just like another
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Hey? What did you think I was talking about?
Hanging out with the guys and then on my way.
At first they didn't want their pictures taken but eventually it was no
problem.
Surprisingly the construction methods are very similar to Europe
The sergeant, the Police captain and me. I just wanted to see
what the police station looked like inside.
Nice looking iron works and how they open and close. But it should
be on a hill, when it closes gravity takes car of it, and when it opens a
machine is used. This would reduce the energy consumption my 1/2
Toronandy
| A lucky shot. It was sitting in a
fence and it took me an hour and 1/2 to sneak up too it.
While I was crawling through the grass, some snake crossed
paths with me. I almost had a heart attack. I did not
recognize the type of snake. I just remained frozen until
the snake decided to make his own way away. |
| I took all the pictures myself. A
work of caution, don't go by yourself. I am the
entertainment when I go away. I just wish someone would
entertain me for a change. |
interesting wall with no mortar used
Balconies in Budapest
Being silly with some of my cousins. One was very famous so
sometimes when we went out we would conceal our faces so he would not get
swarmed
| A very common hand carved gate. In
Hungary, which only comes from one region. I want to learn
how to make these. They even have bird houses built into
them at the top because birds eat insects. Cool EH? |
This is a picture of a very old church near my fathers country home
at Lake Balaton
Back to Budapest below
Tow away zone. Logo like the tow truck I designed
Don't forget to go around the posts. HAHAHEEHEE
I can't believe they had to put lines around the polls.
| Very creative store.(above) Don't
take pictures in their malls. (BUDAPEST) they will run up to
you and ask you if you have permission to take pictures. I
swear! I had to sneak this one in. If you go to some
museums they charge extra if you wan to take pictures and
even more if you want to take video. (DON'T ASK ME WHY - I
THINK THEY THINK THAT VIDEO CAPTURES MORE THAN A PICTURE SO
IT SHOULD BE WORTH MORE) But my camera just looks like a
camera, so I video taped everything so I could get my moneys
worth. |
A special Hungarian Design which require no eves. The water just
runs off the roof. Cool Eh?
Why can't we design such houses?
The entrance to a castle in Veszprem close to Lake Balaton.
Inside the gates of the castle entrance (above)
A Hungarian decorative plate. Hand Painted. I have a
collection of these which my mother left me when she died.
Couple of my cousins the one of the left died in a car crash a few years
in 2004
Another picture of Istvan who died a few years later in a car
crash. See his car after the crash. (below)
Me at the airport
I took this picture in Veszprem 2003
looking at a very new construction site in Budapest I was 47 at the time
Hungarian Folk Dancing commemorating my cousins death, It is one of my
other cousins groups
Figuring out what picture to put on all the vans and trucks
| Selecting the right picture for the
backs and then deciding not to do it. Could not trust them
to do the work and the son, was not ambitious enough. Too
bad. It could have been a gold mine but I can't do
something like that my myself. |
A really good friend of mine. Just a friend who eventually
married one of my cousins
|
Hungarians think the
more space they have the more
writing they can put on
the side of their trucks. (I should be the one to talk)
Too complicated and not
creative. Mine are different.
One telephone number is
all you need. Can you imagine trying to write one of these
phone numbers down?
|
Out with my friends.
it is the only place in the world where you can have a women friend .
Here, in Canada, you can't do that; It seems.
|
This car is make out of
paper called a "Trabont" and is front wheel drive.
There used to be lots of things during the cold war
Now they are harder and
harder to find. I love this car. Here is a
cool one.
|
A view at Lake Balaton
My dad picking wild flowers for my mom. They were her
favorite
Another View of Lake Balaton from another side.
Where my dad went to University in Austria for Engineering
My dad and my mom in the Toronto House in the 70's and 80's
My dad made all the furniture.
Even the paper holder below
|
My mom in Paris when I
was around 5
She modeled for Vogue
While her sister was a designer for Givenchy in New
York City. Cool EH?
Me at 28 or 29???
My friends Wine cellar
in Paty outside Budapest in Hungary (below)
|
Now when I go to Hungary. I visit him
|
a painting of a typical
landscape in Hungary
I go to Hungary all the
time because my dad lives their now. So I have a
few places to stay and a whole whack of cousins. Some
850 who I will never meet unless I will the lottery. Who can
tell the future?
|
|
Avery common European
gate which most people would never get here because it is too
expensive but the European pay much more for it then we would
and they still do it, because if it is built well, it will
last forever and then it is worth it. You can see on
the top of the gate that there is a roof and it is even
shingled. This protects the gate, and it lasts much
longer. This fence and gate will not have to be
touched for 5 - 10 years. Not even the stain.
|
My friend Timmie.
A market in the Ukraine below
Some women in the market, as curious about me as I was about them.
Buying 15 different types of honey. Mmmmmmmmm good.
People eat this stuff every day and wash it down with vodka YUK
| This is called Shadhlink. It is the
best thing I have ever tasted. And it is Only available in
the Ukraine, I think. No chemicals, no preservatives or
hormones or any bodies in this meat. |
Entertaining the locals. The women in the middle works for my dad
full time. She runs his house hold.
If you go to Europe then the Gypsies will find you and beg for
money (below)
2006 they were still making shoes the old way.
A Hungarian cop and me. Hey they work hard and they have a terrible
and dangerous jobs.
But they are well equipped now. And I think they can do their
jobs better.
|
Another one. I
like to meet them in every country. Even when I was
doing extra goodies behind the iron curtain. Those
where very different times. And I am writing a book about
that.
in 2004, a cousin
very close to me, got into a fatal car crash. (below)
|
My cousins car. Bubik Istvan after the accident in 2005
A peasant selling flowers in the street near the Kings Castle called the
"Var."
A better translation is fortress.
| Typical street up in the Kings
castle in Buda . People lives in those houses that are
almost a 1000 years old. Why can't we build things that
last? |
A beautiful Hungarian women, I was talking with in a store.
Instructions on how to use the parking meter. You should see the
one for the pay phone.
What retard figured this out?
A another good friend of mine in Hungary. Eppy here above when he
was addressing his feeling towards my dead cousin.
Stamps my mom make me collect when I was a kid.
First stamps of Hungary
mint
| A couple of houses I helped my father
build just outside Budapest. Cool eh? The white thing is
make out of stone, concrete mortar and ceramic. The only
wood in them are the trusses holding up the 1 ton roofs
and they are all 6x6's and 8x8's and 10 x 10's Cool
Eh???? This house in the front was a peasant house converted
into a garage and an apartment. My father wanted to mow it
all down and just put on house on it. Thank God he listened
to me. There is a smaller house to the left , where the
"Sheppard", who tended to the animals in the old days,
lived. We are going to make that into a shop. Under it is a
wine cellar almost the size of the white house. Cool Eh?
There is no wine in it. But if I have anything to do about
it, I will at least get some old barrels and put them in
there to have a feel of a wine cellar at least. |
I have some really cool stamps in my stamp collection
This is not my car. But how can a guy afford car like this
unless he works for the YOU KNOW WHO.
SEPT. 2006
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Amazing church near the castle
June 28 2010 I decided to find myself a women. First I
went light with just one single site and by the time Jan rolled around
I was in Lava life, Date.com, Eharmony,Zoosk, and Plenty-o-fish .
All a waste of time so I created this to help me find one but
I am not holding my breath here either
======================
I took this picture I
Wuv wabbits
back
Working on my book
other sites to sort
Dominican 2008
and my new life is hanging out at the gym
With the exception of one year in Frankfurt Germany and Versailles
France for one year as well in the states.
3
Hanging out with my best friends wife (will
take a minute to load)
=============================
Please send me some pictures of yourself not hiding behind things
three pictures not more than 1 year old.
Sept. 29-30 2007
My photography in Toronto
going somewhere?
Tell me what
you think of my pictures
I became too famous in Toronto and things were getting out of hand
It was too much fame and my Les the Handyman song was...well too
good
I needed to escape. But how does one escape their own life.
Can anyone do it > Well I tried and moved to a
place where no one knows who I am
in 2012 I has enough of Toronto
this was the first thing I bought. Click on it to see what I did
with it.
I love it here in Europe
Now
I have opened a new
chapter
in my life
this is what I am working on to improve the
way services are done in the home
I have started my own version of
Les the Handyman
But without the fame or so \i am
trying
I am still inventing things and at
least it is better now because
I built my own shop in which to
create my masterpieces
And Now I am closer than ever to my families heritage and every chance
I get I do a little travel to find out more about my ancestors
and i did it all in two years. that has got be some kind of
a record.
Czech Republic
Their money
Yes A Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Bruno and the food is better
there
What do you suppose they sell there?
this is just a regular cafe. WOW have we got a long way to go.
A typical street in Bruno in the Czech Republic
|
I told this women I
would put her on the internet. She did not believe me.
But when I say I am going to do something I do it.
I have always been that way. I do not make thing up.
If you don't have your honor or your word, what have you got?
|
-------------------
| Good things for sale in the
market in the Ukraine everything
is of the highest quality. Even the cookies.
Not at all like the junk they sell us
here.
Here is a store that understands
Capitalism. They have a web store on the top floor, a
computer store there too, a digital photo studio, and
passport office and a store for women's beauty
supplies. They are doing very well.
|
Passport pictures within the hour.
Timmie, make sure you get a discount in the things you do there.
Computer store
--------------------------------------------------------
This was in a Town called Ungvar I think.
| When I first saw this thing I
just about had a heart attack. It is a cold war Russian
tank. I think it was just left there and now it is just a
memory of the past. It was the Russians that invented
slanted armor. Just a little bit of History for you.
I cannot remember the city I saw this in but I almost tuned
off the road. There was a time when I was closer
to tanks bigger than this during the cold war, when I have
been photographing them and other military equipment in my
previous life. I don't miss it. Nor do I want
to go back and do it again, but I could help an organization
with their intelligence. Something we can all use a
little more of.
|
A flourishing business in the Ukraine
a photo store, as passport place, a web place and a computer store and
more.
My guide and best friend in Europe
I have no doubt she will be more famous than me.
This will be our house after I will the lottery.
Getting treasure
| This well was so deep (360 Meters
before they hit water - like a gerbil, a guy would walk
inside the wheel (to the left) and that wheel turned a shaft
with rope on it (there is no rope today) which pulled up the
big pail full of water. |
An old girlfriend of mine
| This picture was taken in my
dads condo in Budapest. 2006 There I can have a women friend
and she is really my friend in ever sense of the word but in
Toronto...Ya...forget it! We thought we may go more than
friendship, even marriage but found that it is better than
we just stay friends and we still are.
My friend posed for some pictures.
|
2007
The famous Notre Dame church which I have seen many times before.
|
I think this is
Napoleons tomb but I was not listening much to the tour
guide because he could barely speak English.
|
|
There were so many
people everywhere you could hardly move.
It was just
easier to stay on the tour bus.
I was alone in Paris
because my dad wanted to see it
and cancelled at
the last moment. Nice Guy. EH?
|
Lore Valley France 2007
i DIDN'T SEE EVERY SINGLE ONE BUT I SAW AT LEAST 25 OF THEM.
One hell of a house
I met the Count who owed this one. This is a picture of his riding
stables.
I met the Count. he was a cool guy. i have his card
somewhere.
He looks almost like one of his ancestors. It is uncanny.
This is what one of the ceiling look like in his house.
Train back to Paris
Met some cops on the fast train (600 km/hr)
Took the fast train from Paris to
Germany 2007
Berlin
2007 Bruno
UKRAINE 2007
Not the horse silly.
A horse that really wanted to reach out and touch me. He or
she
wanted just to hang out. All I did was talk to it and people
just
didn't get it.
W
| A 102 Year old lady at the
train station in a small city in Hungary
This was the same train station who said that they
acknowledge that I have a return ticket but I have to buy
another ticket so I can get a seat! WOW how they love to rip
off the people. Be careful when Buying a train ticket.
You will need 2 one for the trip and one for the seat.
It is not expensive but why in Gods name can't they
sell one ticket?
Fucked up? You bet it is.
This is the same country where the politicians have
been selling hospitals and nations monuments to the YOU
KNOW WHO.
|
| Yes a Burger King in Budapest
A better picture of the old lady. This is not my
mother. I just thought she had interesting features and
asked if I could take her picture.
|
| Some of the sites. Did you know
that the Russian were the first to develop "sloping" armor on
their tanks? It is still in the design even today. With the
most modern tanks. The Leopard
Tanks is the best in the world today made by the
Germans.
Things you find in the garden of
a an ex- general in the Russian Army
|
The Study of European log cabins
and building techniques.
The Ukraine 2007
A carved support column
How corners are locked together
Built right onto the ground however the permafrost is not as deep as it
is in Canada
One type of window but I will use plastic because it will transfer the
cold less
This log cabin design is ever 500 years old.
|
how the roofing worked.
a single like this (3 ft long) would ensure that the
roof would not leek for at least 80 years.
This still use this
type of construction even today to hold up those tile roofs
I say this newly
contracted for an addition to a hotel. The whole base
is make out of concrete.
|
going back to another type of construction in the Ukraine which was a
good 600 years old
A fenced in porch
This is one heavy duty window frame
A church in Univar in Ukraine
Even I thought God was there.
Ceilings
This was built before there ever was a CANADA or North America
A typical gate in town
The church from the outside. Just think. They built all this by
hand. 400 years ago.
discovering Toronto 2007
Hand made chocolates at Kensington
Market hmmm they are better than sex
My friend Tom who owns tom's place in Toronto
the fish market
fruit market
Music store
|
Even a great Pizza
Place/ Doesn't that make you Hungry?
I need to find a good
stand for my chop saw but could not find anything
really good so I combined 2 different things and now have the
best one in the world.
picture to follow
II am just going to
keep this to myself
The legs of this table
are very hard to open and close. Who designed such an
amazing top and such a crummy bottom. it is like
having a Mercedes top and no wheels.
|
|
Flowers out of my dads
garden in his summer home outside Budapest
taken 2007 and here are
some more. It is customary to bring flowers to
your mom, or visiting a family, or your aunt or a women
friend.
I brought flowers for
a women here in Toronto and she said that I
shouldn't have. I mean she was angry and said to me it
was "inappropriate."
in·ap·pro·pri·ate Hmmmm?&^%$#
-
1. not
suitable or proper in the circumstances:"there
are penalties for inappropriate behavior"synonyms: unsuitable, unfitting,unseemly, unbecoming, unbefitting, ... moreimproper, impolite, incongruous, out
of place/keeping, inapposite, inapt, infelicitous,ill-suited, ill-judged, ill-advised, out
of order/line, malaproposantonyms: suitable
I think women, in
Toronto, should go back to school here and learn how to
receive a gift or know how to graciously say "thank you."
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Last week when I
was out on a exploratory meeting with a women, Oct.
6th.
I was told by her how
to tip the waiter because I didn't do it properly, according
to her.
5 years ago I got
flowers from a women. I thought it was a very nice
gesture.
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Fun 2010
Romania with my business partner and his family
i SPENT A LITTLE TIME HELPING MY BUSINES PARTNERS BROTHER BUILD
HIS HOUSE
Geo-Thermal House construction in Romania
Everything is done by hand. And because they cannot afford
ladders they try to make due without. Yet, their building technology is
about 50 years ahead of ours. The is only the 2nd geo-thermal House
in Romania. I look forward to it's completion.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHY I LIKE TO SHOVEL STONE AND SAND. I CAN DO IT
ALL DAY. AND I WAS MIXING CONCRETE FOR SUPPORTS AND MORTAR
FOR BRICKS FOR SEVERAL DAYS. WE FINISED THE FIRST FLOOR ALMOST.
More modern than our ambulances -
How is that possible???? And they are fiercely proud of what they
do - unlike may of our people. They showed me pictures that were
not very good, so I took it upon myself to show the world a little
about them and to give them some pictures to match their egos. They have
every right to be proud.
I do not know if they have one number
for everything, I know in Hungary for instance they have one number for
the Ambulance, another for the fire department and yet another for the
Police. Hmmmmm
www.iWantTOwork.ca
www.1000Mester.com is what I am
working on now.
ON MY WAY BACK i STOPPED IN TO SEE SOMEONE WHO WORKED FOR MY DAD FOR MANY
YEARS AND I JUST WANTED TO VISIT HER AND HER HUSBAND.
Szekelyudvarhely
Helping a small business do better
Selling Gyros. A tour of their competition and and explanation on
how their product has to be better than the rest. A new Web name,
to make it easy to fi
which means very good
The site i under construction and I will work on it from here
Someone who works there
tHIS WOMAN WORKER FOR MY DAD RUNNING HIS HOUSEHOLDS FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE
SHE RETIRED. I WENT TO VISIT HER AND HER HUSBAND AND ALSO
WENT THERE TO LOOK AT THE GATES THESE PEOPLE IN THIS AREA WERE FAMOUS FOR
.
Having a quick lunch - sometimes eating at a friends place
is like easting in a classy restaurant
A small town women taking the bus into town, talking with
the bus driver. They dress better there than the women IN tORONTO
And the women you see above comes from one of these small
farms below. These are what their front gates look like
CHECK OUT THE CRAFTMENSHIP
ALL ARE HAND CARVED. JUST AMAZING
www.iWantTOwork.ca
www.1000Mester.com
What I look like in 2012
When I left Canada to help my aging father
I enjoy life because I know how easily someone can take it away
I love Halloween, and we, as Canadians love it. I didn't realize it
, until I came to Europe to live, How lucky we really are.
This picture was taken in Hungary. I had just arrived from Canada
for the summer, to study art and wood carving when I met this guy
who was selling old Motorcycles. I bought three of them.
They were very old and all had side cars and one was from WWII (German)
Still with a machine gun mount on the front of the side car. It was
cool but after the fall of the USSR, someone broke into the
warehouse and they all vanished. I bought them in
the 70's these bikes were cool and ran well
I had 3 of them. Two with a side car and one of those left
over from WWII and the other two were just cool. This was one of
them. I already had my motorcycle license when I was 16 years old.
this was not my bike. It was a Friend of a friend of mine
I had a friend of mine who started out as a tenant and then became a good
friend and this was his place in the wilderness.
But I already got into it. As I learned from the Ojibwa Indians
just which trees where good for what and how to cut them down with an axe
or a chainsaw.
There is nothing like a big fire to warm the soul
Camping in the wilderness of Canada
I love Halloween, and there is nothing like the fun we have in
Canada
I was invited by a friend of mine to my immediate left. (above) She
was one of two identical twins from the Ukraine.
Below, I am getting ready for another party.
Before Pirates of the Caribbean, I went to rent a costume, but
there was nothing left.
I was too late. But there was this jacket, a hat, a parrot and some
other stuff and I made my own costume and with the help of some movie
makeup artists, it turned out great; don't you think?
There is something about looking in the mirror, not recognizing yourself
I went to a party and no done knew who I was until I opened my
mouth. it was lots of fun.
I won first, 2nd and 3rd prize. Cool eh?
And Back to work again as Les the Handyman
I was always building something interesting and
my customers liked my work because it was more creative than the other
people.
I created large drawers under decks so people didn't need separate sheds,
Places for garden furniture, pool stuff , BBQ stuff and even
gardening stuff.
I showed up when I said I was going to show up and
I cleaned up after each day using my own vacuum cleaner.
I went to a customers place in this case they designed which tiles they
wanted where and I cut them and glued them to the wall. It turned
out pretty well didn't it.
I created the solar trailer and the external power supply because
the range of the bicycle was too poor. After the modification, I
was able to go further. It was great.
I did some work for the Hungarian Police as a translator and I did it for
free. Yes free.
Well, it was not supposed to be free but it took the police 5 years to
pay. I told them not to worry about it.
When I was younger, I did a little work for some of the
police agencies. You have to buy the book to find out what I did
for them. Also other agencies with 3 letters. I used to have
an FBI jacket and a CIA one too but I have no idea where they
went. Plus I would have only worn these while I was out on
the job. I am no longer doing anything now.
Like every other Canadian we liked gong to Cuba and Dominican Republic.
I was no different. And I always loved photography. I used to
shoot models and worked for all the top agencies in Toronto. I even
work for Givenchy in New York. Mr. Givenchy was an interesting man
who was a true workaholic.
I met him a few times and my Aunt was Edit Gati, one of his best
designers, I have a picture of her and my mom who was a Vogue Model for a
short period of time.
When I was a kid. Around 14 I think, my aunt took me around
to meet all the famous designers. I even met Mr.
Gucci. When I was a kid a Gucci belt was U.S.
300.00 about $2000.00 I guess today. I just think it was outrageous
and I met his son who really was not interested in taking his fathers
business over.
It was a very long time ago. I am 60 now so it was more than
40 years ago, but it was one of the most interesting few days in my life
and my aunt Made it happen. Including the job I got shooting some
models for Givenchy.
I really should have had my picture taken with these people. I
didn't really realize just how famous they all were, but it really didn't
matter so much to me. We traveled in different circles any way and
selfies were not invented yet. This was the only picture I could
find of him. I met him when he was much younger in his New
York office.
Later in Life around 32 years old, I became Les the Handyman and it
was the best ride of my life, almost 30 years for fixing things for other
people. The web site I used was www.CallRightNow.com
this other one on the truck was for the European version should I ever
see it become reality.
I did my own photography too and had my own darkroom
where I could make my own prints
I loved to sail and went out every chance I got. Here I was out
with my best friend in Cleveland when I was doing clinical engineering
for Metro Heath Medical center and the Cleveland Clinic. He was
also my boss but became a very good friend. We built all kinds of
things to help people with mobility problems. You can go to my Clinical
engineering page.
Buying stuff for my Handyman Business in Canada
This is what I looked like when I was in my first
Movie with Bubik Istvan. My cousin. The movie was called
Istalo and Eppy was in that movie too.
I played a German Tourist in that movie.
I practiced my lines with a cute actor who was lots
of fun to be with.
My cousin
the guy with the whip in his mouth is actually an Oscar Winner
Shocking EH?
I had lots of fun here and I always have my memories
of the fun things we did .
The 3rd guy after me was a an Oscar winner and my cousin,
Within 5 years of this picture, he died in a car crash. But I have
lots of Video of the silly things we did together and the movies I was in
with him.
I got together with the family
I loved to go out with my cousins and be silly.
Boy I lost a lot of weight since then
People say I look much better without my
mustache. What do you think?
I started developing my own software because I wanted to
serve my customers even better, and ensure that my competition could not
keep up ad many were trying to ride on my "coat tails."
So I created the Perfect Business system for myself
and this system saved me a total of 177 days worth of time a year.
No software program has ever come close since then
Here were the old demos I made for it when I was selling them in Canada.
They are good but a little outdated. One day I will make new ones
as it is also my hobby to improve everything I have already created.
The on-line Booking
Module
Play Movie one and don't forget to turn on your
speakers.
MOVIE 1
The Basic Business
Module
when purchased, as an add on to the package above, you
will have a pretty incredible small business management
system
MOVIE 2
cisco systems almost bought me out. and I also most closed Les the
Handyman for good.
I started downsizing because Cisco Systems wanted to buy my software and
me too. In the end. I told them I am not for sale.
Here I am explaining the graphics I wanted for a sign I wanted.
For a Good Time
CallRightNow.com
I helped out all the causes I could like this one.
I saw many things which were not built properly and I made faces at those
things.
I designed and built many cool things to make myself as efficiently
as possible, even though I was charging by the hour, I just hated wasting
time.
I customer didn't want a price to do their work,
they just wanted me to do it and I did and they were always pleased with
the results
This was the front
of my truck in Toronto. It has a 5 liter engine in it and I dragged
around 10 tons of tools and screws all the time I will show you inside
which has one of the most sophisticated paging alarms in the world.
I did not design it. One of the few things I did not hahaheheh I
was so happy if I could just buy something off the shelf. But most
of my life in going to a shop and having something made.
You have to call one of my numbers to Hear the Les the Handyman Songs
for Canada
416 484 4611
I was one of the first to have a computer and printer in his truck
Here I am working with n New product called TREX. A
wood and plastic combination. Once so see the end result, you will
see how amazing this stuff looks.
I made some heavy duty decks but here in
Europe the quality is even better.
http://bubik.powweb.com/famous_business_man.htm
this was the last picture of THE BUBIK BROHERS, as we liked to call
ourselves even though we were not brothers. I was an only child.
Can you tell?
When the garbage people went on Strike in Canada many years ago, there
was lots of extra business for me.
The sign on the back of the trailer says"
I owe, I owe, so off to work i go!
I designed this trailer and with a friend modified it so I could
carry my bicycles, My motorcycle, when I went out for some leisure.
And my car could pull it too. Anyway.... I am
leading a much simpler life now.
I carried over 3,000 different types of screws and hardware
along with basic moldings, baseboards and even pressure treated 2x4's for
fixing gates.
I worked hard but I also played hard and went out
bike riding with my friends
I love to ride the bicycle I created. I
designed it and had a bike builder make it for me because I don't want
what every body else has. I like to be different.
I did not design this one I just made it look
a little better by putting on some fancier tires, a cool rack in the back
and a nice bike amplifier in the front so I can listen to tunes.
Moto cross in the Dominican Republic
I was in a few films in Hungary because my cousin was a Oscar winner and
every time I showed up my cousin was always DOING a film. We had
lots of fun and I have been in a few films too.
this is what I look like and I get dressed up
Some Hungarian get jealous of me because I do so
much my I am quite different that most people. I have a
genetic defect. An extra y Chromosome which makes me a very
driven person who does not sleep very much. Anyone can do anything
they want, but they also need to take the first step. If you don't
you will never go anywhere.
bubik.powweb.com/hobbies/engineer.htm
http://i-hate-computers.ca/dress/fastservice.htm
http://www.i-hate-computers.ca/hobbies/engineer.htm
I regret ever having created that thing with my dad.
I came up with the ideas, my dad designed it and we fabricated it.
Here you can see the history of it and the other
things my dad designed as well.
http://bubik.powweb.com/lesliebubik/
new site
http://www.i-hate-computers.ca/hobbies/engineer.htm
old site
Leslie Charles Paul Richard Edward Bubik Pletl Von
Lichtenberg
I am a descendant of the Lichtenberg clan of Europe
Also of the Pletl and Platl Clans who changed the spelling of their names
when they entered Hungary in the 1700's
Georg Christoph Platl, 1573 and Hans Platl von Lichtenberg,
Archbishop of Brunn, 1646
What you do in life echoes in eternity
Coat of arms of borough Lichtenberg
Coat of arms of Mgr Laurent de Lichtenberg
Blason du comté de Hanau-Lichtenberg
Lichtenberg,
Austria 
Principality of
Lichtenberg
This clan was powerful, but was it the chicken leg that scarred the hell
out of the locals. I wonder.
All the castles my family owned 600 - 1000 years ago
Click on the crests.
=========================================================================
Les wants to become Less 2007-2008
2008
You see, we live in a very inefficient world. We've been doing this for
the last few hundred years. And though there has been a lot of
improvement in technology, Bristol very backwards. Canada is the worst.
But it doesn't have to be this way.
People heat and cool their whole house even though they're not in the
rooms that are being heated or cooled. Why? It is a complete waste.
There are systems out there that you can buy that automatically adjust to
the flus and defense in your house, so that it only heats and cools the
areas of the house picture in. But most people can't afford a system like
that. A cheap $65,000
Of the most important thing, it to have a good temperature where you're
working, and when you're sleeping, or doing other things.
So I designed a bed, because we spend about a third of our lives in it,
to help me do most of the things that I would normally do when I am
there.
Including heating and cooling the area around it.
This problem number one. Then what about all the things you do in
bed. while there are the obvious things like sleeping or having
sex, and when some people eat in their beds, or work in their beds,
sometimes they just sit on top of their beds and watch TV.
What are things that you normally have beside your bed, light clock radio
etc. etc..
But they all pick up clutter on either side of your bed and take up more
room. But it doesn't have to be that way either. I look at
everything in life and see all the improvements I could make to it.
And that's good enough for me. I have no intention of selling them
more mass-producing them. Unless someone wants to hire me to work
in their company to create such things at the very next to do so.
but no one ever has. so I plug away myself.
Every time you want to watch a movie, usually have to get up from
your bedgo find a movie, put it into your VCR or CD player, lay back in
bed find the remotes.
And I just think about this for a second. How much time do you
actually spend doing does each and every time. can take
Madame multiplied Other times you do it a year. And you'll
quickly realize, that you've just wasted perhaps 20 hours worth of time.
in some cases more than that. now that's three days. Three
working days. Or three days on vacation.
When you're in your car, you have to go into your backseat to get the
CDs?
do after going to the trunk start your car which to be also on your bed.
in my case movies are dispensed with automatically from a CD carousel.
all I do is type in the movie I wanted, either by title, or anything,
initials Miss lectured of movies in that group. all I do is
click on the one I want, and it spits out a, and that's the one I put in
a CD reader which is right beside my bed, so that I don't have to get up.
In fact my movies or the boxes that hold the movies don't have to be
anywhere near my bed, or anywhere near my living room. Everything
is in carousels. And every time my friends come over, because it's
so technologically advanced.
Cool eh?
Toronto 2008
Summer 2008
with Les and Les and Kato
Discontinued in 2010 and new Virtual house was introduced, Now in about a
year a new one will be introduced which helped the trades person and the
customer even more.
