Welcome To The March 7, 2011 Edition Of The St: Fill & Download for Free

New DNA Cancer Testing Discovery - Please read the Illumina section “The DNA Labs” - 3.7.19RE-Updated Images, a Commentary & Non-Human DNA details - 2.20.19FYI - Please be aware that I am Not receiving any Comment Notifications, just something else I became aware of today. I will answer as soon as I can. Please be patient.It Depends. Understand that “Consumer-based” DNA ancestry testing is a New “branch” adopted directly from DNA Forensics Analysis (Blood, Hair, Saliva, Semen, Teeth); that’s been around for a while. Most recent human body DNA published data is included here for illustrative purposes, as I am not an officer or employee of that specific DNA laboratory.(4.6×10^6) x (4×10^13) ≅ 1.8×10^20 base pairs (not bacterial genes) of bacterial DNA in the human body. (4×10^13) = total number of bacteria in the human body.(2×10^4) x (3×10^12) ≅ 6×10^16 genes in the human body.(6×10^9) x (3×10^12) ≅ 1.8×10^22 DNA base pairs (ATGC) in the human body. Revised / Revised Estimates for the Number of Human and Bacteria Cells in the Body(3×1012) = number of nucleated cells.3.0·10^13 human cells in the 70 kg “reference man” with a calculated 2% uncertainty and 14% CV.Note that there is (4×10^13) = total number of bacteria in the human body, which greater in number than the 3.0·10^13 human cells. However there is an elimination phase that lowers the total number of bacteria.Caveat - our Hematopoietic Cell Line (red blood cells) - which are non-nucleated, account for 84% (25 x 10^12) of the 30 x 10^12 total human cell count.NEW! … Non-Human / Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT) - Nope, it’s NOT what comes to Mind with HGT. In this study, the researchers pinpointed hundreds of genes that appeared to have been transferred from bacteria, archaea, fungi, other microorganisms, and plants to animals, they report online today in Genome Biology. In the case of humans, they found 145 genes that seemed to have jumped from simpler organisms, including 17 that had been reported in the past as possible horizontal gene transfers.Source - Biologist Alastair Crisp of the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.…DNA Ancestry testing - currently can only test ~ 1 Million Human SNPs of only 3% nucleated DNA, via “Autosomal” testing, however, researchers do not need to sequence ALL ‘DNA base pairs’, to determine your Haplogroups & Subclades.DNA Autosomal testing - is the most Common TYPE of testing that most major DNA companies, like 23andMe, Ancestry DNA, Family Tree DNA, Living DNA, My Heritage, & NatGeo offer, in their affordable $69 to $99 dollar Home Kits. However, there are exceptions for three major companies listed above, more later.‘Down-Stream & Deeper DNA Testing Options - consists of separate STR & SNP (Y-DNA / Paternal) LEVEL testing, and/or ,(mtDNA / Maternal) Hyper-Variable Regions 1 and 2 (HVR2 bases 1-390 and HVR1 bases 16000-16569) testing Sequencing, as well as, the options of HVR Full Genome + Deep Subclades (Mutations) testing, but, it’s a bit More Expensive, from : $199 mtFull Sequence to $649 Big Y-500 (FamilyTree DNA / 2019). However, there are Other companies that are also offering Deep Testing options, for less.Currently, the ONLY 3 companies that offer these Deep DNA Testing Panels are: Family Tree DNA, Living DNA & NatGeo (limited).…The DNA Lab’s - utilize Two Chip-set Technology’s + Phylotree mtDNA BUILD Version that affects your results. Each company uses either Standardized or Customized Illumina chip-sets. = REFER TO IMAGES BELOW.Illumina Sequencing | by SynthesisPatterned Flow-Cell Technology | IlluminaPhylotree Versions - The Phylotree Map is the document that defines the mutations that equate to Haplogroup Names (alphanumeric). = REFER TO IMAGES BELOW.IN-house Lab, or External DNA Laboratories - where your sample is forwarded to be Processed. - NOT all “DNA Lab’s” are certified as Equivalent, and Neither is their Academic Faculty and Staff - FYI.NEW - About seven years ago, researchers at the US DNA sequencing company Illumina started to notice something odd. A new blood test it ran on 125,000 expectant mothers looking for genetic abnormalities such as Down’s syndrome in their fetuses returned some extremely unexpected signals in 10 cases. Chillingly, it dawned on them that the abnormal DNA they were seeing wasn’t from the fetuses but was, rather, UN-diagnosed cancer in the mothers.Cancers of different types were later confirmed in all 10. “This was not a testdeveloped for cancer screening,” says Alex Aravanis, then Illumina’s seniorR&D director. “But it was evidence that it might be possible.”In 2016, Illumina created Silicon Valley-based spin-off company Grail, withAravanis as chief scientific officer. Backed by more than $1.5bn in funding,including money from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Amazon founder JeffBezos, Grail is on a quest to detect multiple types of cancer before symptoms,via a single, simple blood test. The test looks at cell-free plasma to findfragments of so-called circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) sloughed off by cancercells. Source - The Guardian UKScience | GRAIL's Commitment to Scientific Rigor and Clinical Utility…So HOW does this affect your results since your Mom had an Autosomal test with 23andMe?The current Phylotree Version - is Build 17 (18 Feb 2016) for mtDNA (Maternal).FamilyTree DNA - updated to Build 17 in March 2017.23andMe - as of April 2017, they are still utilizing Build 12 from 2011, so in 2019, are NOT up-to-date, and 5 Build Generations behind. That’s why.Things to Understand & Remember - About Paternal & Maternal Haplogroups :Maternal ‘Haplogroup’ designation - your Mom’s Haplogroup is like her Genomic DNA “CLAN”, that was passed to her over thousands of years, and then on to YOU. That’s her 23 DNA contribution to you, but can be Below 50%, or more than 50%, via mutations.Ever WONDER … Why your Siblings have Facial, Eye, Hair, and Physical Variations in the Family? … Yes, it called The Science of DNA …Native American ancestry or Heritage - Mostly carried on the Maternal side, as Paternal (Y-DNA) Native American ancestry is rare.Native American Haplogroups (mtDNA) - Ax, Bx, Cx, Dx, Mx, Xx. If your Mom does NOT have ONE of these Haplogroups, then it will be more difficult to claim, with a Euro or UK mtDNA & Y-DNA Haplogroup’s.23andMe Results - It would have been more helpful if you posted a copy of her DNA Composition ‘Pie Chart’, here.Because, I could tell you more about her results than 23andMe, can.Get your Dad or Brother, Uncle or GF tested on the Other 23 Y-DNA side on FamilyTree DNA; and order at least a Y-DNA 67 Marker Panel.Y Haplogroups of the Iberian Peninsula (Spanish & Portuguese), that includes France, and extends to the UK are : R1b, I1 , J2, R1a, E3b, J1, K, ExE3b, etc.Basque (Spanish & French) Haplogroup - R1b1a2a1a1b1a1a1a / R-M153 Subclade. As you can appreciate in this instance, THERE are 100’s to 1000’s of Variation’s for R1b … But the Subclade R - M153, nail’s it down Specifically to the region to country, to city/town, sometimes to the street level.The Y Haplogroups of the Iberian Peninsula (Spanish & Portuguese) + Basque - are mostly descended down on the Paternal side over 1000’s of years. Speaking from the Neolithic Period to the current.If your Dad has a R1b / M267 Haplogroup - then you would need to order the Subclades for Spain/France, Germany, Italy, and for the UK.It’s been Fun! Good luck!Commentary - One of the most common questions is … WHERE is all this DNA Technology headed? And HOW will we benefit from it?For the General Public - within another 1 to 3 years, there will be a lot of DNA Companies “specializing” in offering Consumer-level, Home screening testing for Health & Medical conditions like : Autism / Spectrum, Depression Types, Cancer Types, Rare Genetic Disease’s, etc. Most likely “modeled” after the current ‘Cologuard’ Home Kit + Device App’s.For The General Public 2 - I have MY OWN Theory about MW Energy dispersion patterns, and it’s effect’s on the Cortical homunculus. Perhaps, a new finding will be forthcoming in the near Future.For the 2035 - 2040 “Mission To Mars”, via NASA - SpaceX Program (39 Alpha) - They will need a Compact, Customized Illumina chip-set Module’s, to aid in the discovery and in the possibility in preliminary Identification of other types of ancient DNA Living Forms. Just my theory …Personally - I’ve been Very Lucky, and, thus don’t carry any great disappointment’s, Nor, regrets … Except in this specific instance, in that I will NOT be One of the coveted team member’s on the Werner Mission 1 / from 39 Alpha, as their SpaceX Physician & Science Officer …EDIT - 2.10.19 - My appreciation for ALL the Views & Votes … Mahalo Nui Loa’EDIT 2 - while I welcome well-grounded, constructive remarks about my answer content, from fellow (Adults), fully-credentialed Bio-Science/STEM Peers; as long as you include scientific sources, as that is The Whole Idea Here , To Learn, To Teach, To Exchange, etc … Otherwise, I will report, mute, and delete anyone that is being a ‘Schmuck’, or a jack-ass of sorts, and/or, are trolling.This also applies to “anyone” that sends an “Edit” comment, especially Creeps that have a Blank profile, or are full-time OCD about “editing” other people’s work.FYI - Please keep in mind that the Scientific data and material in my answer, is in a ‘Condensed’ form, representing only about 10% to 20% of the actual Corpus of published scientific findings. Future Projections are subject to change, without notice.…… DNA Graphic of Paternal & Maternal - mtDNA + Y-DNA Mutations from GGrandparents. Note mutations in Autosomes.… Illumina Sequencing… Illumina - Patterned Flow Cell Technology 1… Illumina - Patterned Flow Cell Technology 2…Southern European Haplogroup H3 - mtDNA (my paternal GM) - Note H3a has a Subclade (Blue) + Derivation of JQ704834 on the right column.Autosomal testing - MAY identify your Basic Haplogroup, like H3, However, NOT all DNA ancestry companies include your Y-DNA, &/or, mtDNA Haplogroups; instead they will just give you ancestry diagrams, or pie charts.Caveat - IMO, Haplogroups are your DNA Clan Compass.Deep Haplogroup Subclade ‘Down-Stream’ testing (STR’s, SNP’s, & Hyper-Variable Regions 1 and 2) - can/may provide additional information for Matching with your DNA Cousins, Identify your Most Recent Ancestor, Identify Country of Origin, including specific Cities, Townships, or Villages … Even to the street level.…TBC …READ about > Cortical homunculus

This answer may contain sensitive images. Click on an image to unblur it.According to Nancy Grace and Dr Oz on his show, investigators now believe the investigation into the death of Natalie Wood was too quick (closed in two weeks) and poorly investigated. Dr Oz had a show about the death of Natalie Wood. Here are videos from the show. There are three (or four) video clips in this link.What Really Happened the Night of Actress Natalie Wood’s Death?We now know Natalie was unconscious before Wagner put her into the water. Investigators have tried eleven times to speak with Robert Wagner since the case was reopened — Wagner refuses. They flew once to Aspen, where he lives with his current wife, Jill St John, and Wagner still refuses.Here’s a short clip from a Larry King program interviewing Robert Wagner. Wagner continues to lie.And another on a Dr Phil show. Motive? Did Natalie see something she wasn’t supposed to see? Again?I happened to be in the Los Angeles area on Thanksgiving weekend, 1981, the same weekend Natalie drowned.Having been a Natalie fan for many years, I was very sad hearing of her drowning. I read newspapers and watched news on TV about her death. At first, I believed it was an accident, as the coroner reported.After reading any reputable articles and books I could find, about Natalie, (her movies, television shows —Dr Oz and Dr Phil — I definitely believe that Robert Wagner, her husband, murdered her. He’s gone on to live a full life and moved forward in his life extremely quickly. His current wife, Jill St John, was beside him at Natalie’s funeral and has been ever since.They tried to keep their relationship hidden, with little success. On Valentines Day, about seven weeks after the death of, “The love his life,” Natalie Wood, Wagner took Jill St John to Natalie’s favorite restaurant in Beverly Hills, La Scala. (Ain’t that a kick in the head!)Home | La ScalaJill St. John is the wife of Robert Wagner. Her name has been circulating online because police have named her husband a “Person of Interest” in the death of actress Natalie Wood. Wagner and Wood had been married when she drowned back in 1981. Questions have never died out because Natalie was so loved by the world — and because of her suspicious death.On Saturday, February 3, 2018, Natalie Wood: Death in Dark Water, aired on CBS.Robert Wagner & Natalie WoodWagner and his first wife, Natalie Wood, married in 1957. In 1961, four years after their marriage, Natalie awakened in the middle of the night and Robert Wagner was not in their bed. She got up to look for him and saw something she wasn’t intended to see. Natalie walked in on and saw Wagner having sex with their butler, who had been Robert Wagner’s butler before he and Natalie married.Their divorce was final in 1962 and they both remarried, Wagner to Marion Marshall, an actress, from 1963 — 1971.… and Natalie to Richard Gregson, a producer, from May, 1969 - 1972.I love this photo of them — Natalie breathing in the beautiful and fresh air of happiness of her new life — and Richard, looking at Natalie, in awe of her beauty and “I’m the luckiest man alive” — excited about their new life together. ___________________________________________________(This section was written by Richard Gregson, Natalie’s second husband and father of Natalie’s first daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner. I included it because I found him and his story so beautiful and interesting. If you don’t care to read it, skip down below the next horizontal line.Starry Night: Natalie with Richard Gregson at a party in Hollywood in 1966‘Natalie’s dead, Dad ...’Richard Gregson was once married to the Hollywood star Natalie Wood. He recalls the terrible night he heard she'd drowned, and the awful decision he faced over who should care for their daughter NatashaRichard GregsonFri 1 Jun 2012 19:05She was a big star, beautiful, nearing the height of her fame. I was struggling up the ladder working as an agent for actors, writers and directors. Also we had previous entanglements. I had three children, she had a couple of ex-lovers and a determination to continue her daily visits to her psychiatrist come what may. It had been an emotional few years together, which getting married did nothing to change except for the birth of our daughter, Natasha, whom Natalie loved more than anyone or anything in her life. If I thought her birth would mark the end of our trials together, I was mistaken. The road ahead was much longer and harder and came to an end in a dramatic and most tragic way.I could hear the phone ringing as I climbed the stairs to my London flat. When I opened the door, the ringing stopped. Within two beats of my heart, it started again."Hello?"”Dad?"My son's voice sounded muffled, as if he'd been crying."Hugo. Are you all right?""Did you hear …? On the radio … Dad …"His voice broke."What?""It said … the film star Natalie Wood has drowned." His voice choked again. "Natalie's dead, Dad.”Natalie drowned? It couldn't be. Please God, don't let it be. Death by drowning had been her nightmare. How many times had she told me about her terror of "the dark water".I stared out at the bleak November night feeling as cold inside as the weather outside my windows. Tears pricked my eyes. I couldn't speak.”Dad …?""I'm here …" I croaked. "Drowned? Where?""I don't know. Shall I come over?"I looked at my watch: a quarter past five in London; a quarter past nine in California.”Shall I come now?" Hugo said again."Let me call the house first … I'll call you back."I stood there, a sad idiot, tears streaming down my face. My thoughts flew back to a recent dinner party where an Anglo-Indian woman I knew read my tarot cards. There came a moment when she refused to continue. She shrugged her shoulders, her large, kohl-lined eyes avoiding mine. Later, at my insistence, she told me my cards foretold someone close to me would die by drowning. Of course, you can't believe stuff like that but …Natalie and I had become close again despite our divorce 10 years earlier. After all was said and done, I was the father and she was the mother of our dearly beloved 11-year-old daughter, Natasha.Natasha …She had lived for years with her mother, her stepfather, Robert Wagner – RJ – the star of the television show, “Hart to Hart,” and her half-sister, Courtney, in a fine house in Beverly Hills.She was happy there, happy with her school, happy with her many friends. Despite the family's high-living style, Natasha had somehow managed to retain an objectivity about herself that protected her from the worst excesses of a Hollywood film-star life.When she came down to the beach to stay with me and my soon-to-be wife, Julia, whom she adored, she seemed to have as much fun beachcombing firewood for our old cast iron belly stove as she did dressing up for a Beverly Hills party. If Natalie was dead?I dialled the Beverly Hills number. It was answered immediately. I held my breath.”Hello …""Who's that?" I asked.”It's Liz, Richard." Liz was Natalie's very efficient English personal assistant."Is it true, Liz?""I think so … I don't know for sure. I haven't had time …" Her voice tailed away."Does Natasha know?”I could hear other phones ringing.”Richard, I have to go. Call me later."She hung up. What should I do? I felt a wave of confusion. Then the phone rang. It was my daughter, Sarah, in tears."Dad, is it true?""I think so. I'm checking."I called my close friends Delia and Jerry in LA. They confirmed that Natalie had drowned.I couldn't speak.”What will you do?" Delia asked."Come out," I said.”Stay with us," she offered.The phone never stopped. Two calls were from old friends in LA with whom I'd worked closely for many years.Over time they had become good friends of Natalie's and RJ's too. I was expecting sympathy and support, but what I got was both of them trying to persuade me not to come out."What are you talking about?" I demanded. "Why are you saying that?"It wasn't necessary, they agreed."Necessary?" I shouted."Of course it's bloody necessary. Natasha will need me."After I cooled off, I asked myself if Natasha would need me. I was her father, for God's sake, of course she'd need me. Then suddenly it dawned on me that as her blood father I might have a legal right to bring her back to live with me in England. But would I do that? Remove her from the only life she'd ever known? Take her away from her LA family and friends? I was pretty sure RJ wouldn't want that.When I arrived in LA, I went to the house to see Natasha.North Canon Drive is in the heart of the Beverly Hills flats – a stone's throw from the glossy shopping playground of Rodeo Drive. Normally it is a peaceful street, almost genteel, with its palm trees and well-tended lawns and gardens. That night it was lined with dozens of parked cars. Two Beverly Hills policemen and a squad car guarded the front of the house. I approached them feeling uncomfortable and out of place. They asked why I was there. When I told them, they lowered their eyes and stepped aside.The sitting room and bar area was packed with well-dressed, beautiful people holding glasses in their hands. The steady buzz of conversation was interrupted by an occasional shaft of laughter. I had the uncomfortable feeling I'd come to the wrong house, that I was an extra in a 60s Fellini film. I smiled at a couple I knew and heard them repeat my name to people nearest them.The buzz of conversation slowly dwindled as dozens of pairs of eyes swivelled to watch me, waiting to see what I'd do. I scanned the crush until I saw Natasha, petite and beautiful, sitting on the floor on the other side of the room. She looked up."Daddy," she said.Her arms went around my neck, her legs encircled my waist. I felt a huge surge of love. Without thinking, I carried her through the crush and up to her bedroom where we could talk privately. Eyes and whispers followed us up the stairs.We sat together on her bed. I'm not sure what I said: that she was my beloved daughter; that I would look after her; that I would try to make things right again. That I had loved her mother. Ordinary things, banal things.I knew in my heart there was little I could say or do that would help her get over the loss of the one person she loved more than anyone in the world. All I could offer was a different kind of love, a shoulder to cry on. She held my hand and listened gravely. It was as if she was consoling me.Before I left the house, Liz asked if I would go to see RJ. He was propped up in bed, his famous face ravaged by grief, his eyes red and misty with tears. You poor bastard, I thought, you're going through hell. His yacht had been moored off Catalina Island the night Natalie had drowned.[It was late and when she fell overboard, no one had heard her cry for help. Like the decent man he was, he felt a terrible accountability.]I held out my hand, we embraced. I told him I had seen Natasha and was moved by her strength and stoicism. Almost immediately he made it clear that one of his greatest fears was I would try to take Natasha back to England. He asked me not to break up the family. I said I would only take her to England if it was what she wanted and if I was sure it was the right thing to do."Thank you," he said.We embraced again."We both have to do what's best for her," I said.Later, my darling Julia called from London to say it was more than fine with her if Natasha wanted to live with us. Because she gave me that alternative it made it easier for me to believe my inclination to leave Natasha with her LA family was correct. With Julia's help and understanding, Natasha would know our door was always open to her.The next day when I got to Canon Drive, Natasha was waiting for me. She took me by the hand and led me to a quiet corner."Daddy … I want to see Mummy," she said looking me straight in the eye."Are you sure?""I'm really sure," she said."Daddy Wagner doesn't think I should. I want you to convince him.”"I had a close friend, David, whose father had suddenly disappeared when my friend was about Natasha's age. His mother and sisters told David his father had died. David wanted proof. They told him it was too late for proof, his father was already buried in some far away place. Lacking evidence to the contrary, David believed his father had abandoned him.That one thought was to become the leitmotif to his life. As he got older, he became morose and drank too much. It took 30 years to track down where his father was buried and, standing beside his grave, find some kind of peace.If Natasha didn't see Natalie's body, how would she know for sure she was dead? She had kissed her mother goodbye the morning she'd left for Catalina. Natalie hadn't come home. Was she really dead or had she gone away? Or, much worse, had Natasha been abandoned?If Natasha saw her mother's body, she would know the story of her drowning was true. She'd have to face its stark reality but wouldn't have to go through life wondering if Natalie was still alive out there somewhere.I explained my thinking to RJ and to his and Natalie's shrinks. I said I completely understood why RJ wouldn't want to visit the mortuary with Natasha but I wanted to take her. After an intense discussion it was agreed that Natasha and I would go.At the last moment it was decided, I'm not sure why, that Natasha's sister, Courtney, and Natalie's housekeeper, Willie Mae, would come with us. During the drive I kept wondering if I was doing the right thing. I knew Natalie's body had been dressed, her hair done, her face made up by friends she'd worked with on films, who had grown to love her, so I was confident her face and body would show few marks of the time she'd spent in the water. But how would Natasha react to seeing her mother dead? I turned my face to the window.A mortuary attendant led us to a discreetly lit room in the middle of which Natalie's half-open coffin had been placed on a plinth. A soft, pale light hung over it.I took Natasha's hand. Side by side, we approached.Natalie was dressed in a full-length fox fur coat over a simple cream dress. To me she was as beautiful then as when I'd first known her.I stole a glance at Natasha. The powerful connection she'd always had with Natalie was still palpable. Natasha tried to put a letter in Natalie's hand but the stiffness of Natalie's fingers made it impossible. I suggested she put it under her hand. When Natasha tried to lift Natalie's arm it was too heavy for her so I lifted it. Carefully, Natasha placed the letter under her mother's hand then turned to me, saying: "I want to be alone with Mummy."I walked away and watched my child speak quietly to her mother for almost three minutes without any embarrassment or self-consciousness. What she said I have no idea. Finally, she reached into the coffin and straightened Natalie's coat."I'm ready to go now," she told me.On the way back to North Canon Drive she held my hand. There were no tears, no questions, no explanations, Natasha had done what she had set out to do and done it with honour and dignity. I couldn't have been prouder.For us, the closeness we shared during those terrible days was instrumental in making our relationship as wonderful as it is today. She says I was there for her. I say she was there for me.This is an edited extract from “Behind the Screen Door: Tales from the Hollywood Hills”by Richard Gregson____________________________________________________They each had a daughter, Wagner’s daughter, Katie and Natalie’s daughter, Natasha Gregson.But (foolishly, Natalie) they rekindled their romance years later, remarrying in July 1972. Two years later, Wagner and Wood welcomed their only child together, daughter, Courtney Wagner.On Thanksgiving weekend, Friday, November 27, 1981, Wood and Wagner sailed from LA to Santa Catalina Island, CA. Natalie was filming, what would be her last film, “Brainstorm,” costarring actor, Christopher Walken. Filming had shut down for the week of Thanksgiving, so Natalie invited Walken to sail to Catalina with her and her husband.Arriving in Avalon, the only town on Catalina Island, they shopped and walked around Avalon, returning to their boat for dinner.After dinner and after dark, Wagner wanted to move their boat to the west side of Catalina, the remote harbor without many boats or people. Dennis and Natalie thought it was a bad idea to move their boat, “Splendour,” on a windy and cold starless night.Natalie then told Dennis she wanted to leave the boat and stay in a hotel on the island. She asked him to take her to Catalina where she could get away from the quarreling and her husband.Leaving Wagner and Walken on their yacht, Dennis took Natalie to a hotel in Avalon where they rented two rooms. Dennis took Natalie to her room first, but because Natalie was still very upset, Dennis stayed in her room. They stayed up and talked (mostly Natalie talking) all night. Natalie told Dennis of her anger at Wagner and about talked about divorcing him. She said she was returning to LA the next morning and wanted to talk with her sister, Lana.Dennis completely believes, had Natalie gotten a seaplane on Saturday morning, she would have seen an attorney and started her second divorce proceedings with Wagner.On Saturday morning, the weather was still cloudy and colder and the seas were more choppy than they were on Friday; and because of the bad weather, no seaplanes were available. Natalie then phoned Lana, but got no answer (before cellphone days). She then called a friend, Mart Crowley, for help. Finding no one to help her, she decided to go back to the boat and act as if nothing had happened — which they did.The next day, police found Wood’s dead body in the water.Wood’s autopsy noted “fresh bruises on her body,” but an investigation concluded that she had accidentally drowned. Charges were never filed, but Wood’s death has remained a mystery since 1981, despite her case being closed.In 2011, however, Wood’s case was reopened.A year later, the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office amended Wood’s death certificate. Her cause of death was changed from “accidental drowning” to “drowning and other undetermined factors.”Now, police have named Wagner a “person of interest” in the case.“As we’ve investigated the case over the last six years, I think [Wagner’s] more of a person of interest now. I mean, we know now that he was the last person to be with Natalie before she disappeared,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant John Corina said during an interview on CBS’ 48 Hours.“I haven’t seen [Wagner] tell the details that match all the other witnesses in this case. I think he’s constantly changed his story a little bit. And his version of events just don’t add up,” Corina added. “I think it’s suspicious enough to make us think that something happened,” Corina responded when asked if he believed Wood was murdered.“Natalie Wood looked like a victim of an assault,” Ralph Hernandez, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, said in the 48 Hours interview. “We have not been able to prove this was a homicide. And we haven’t been able to prove that this was an accident, either. The ultimate problem is we don’t know how she ended up in the water,” he added.Wagner has not commented on the case since it was reopened.St. John Married Wagner in 1990 & Is a Stepmother to His 3 DaughtersJill St. John and Robert WagnerSt. John started dating Wagner in 1982, less than one year after Wood’s death. St. John and Wagner were together for eight years before tying the knot on May 26, 1990. The two didn’t have any children together, although Wagner has children from previous relationships, thus making St. John a stepmother of three girls.Katie Wagner is Robert Wagner’s oldest daughter from his marriage to Marion Marshall. Courtney Wagner is the only daughter of Wagner and Wood. Wagner is also a step father to Natasha Gregson Wagner, Natalie Wood’s daughter from her marriage to film producer, Richard Gregson. After Natalie’s, (her mom) death, Natasha Gregson Wagner was raised by Robert Wagner and Jill St. John.Natasha Gregson Wagner has spoken out about suspicions that Robert Wagner had involvement in her mom’s death.“The details of did she hit her head and fall into the water or did she fall into the water and then hit her head, those little things don’t concern me. The result is the same. She died. And she left when I was 11 and my sister (Courtney) was 7, and we needed her. And even when I hear that stuff that my aunt creates and people call me and say, ‘Oh my God, I am so sorry,’ I say, ‘Don’t be sorry for me.’ It’s literally like saying my dad has two heads or three heads. It’s so preposterous that I can’t even relate to it. It doesn’t even touch me,” she told the New York Times in 2016.In 2002, St. John appeared alongside Wagner and two of his daughters (Courtney and Katie), when he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.St. John has been married a total of four times. She wed her first husband, Neil Dubin, heir to a linen fortune, on May 12, 1957, when she was just 17 years old. The two eloped to Arizona, but divorced the following year. Next, St. John married Lance Reventlow, a sports car racer who was heir to the F. W. Woolworth fortune, on March 24, 1960. The two divorced in 1963, and Reventlow died in a plane crash in 1972. In 1967, St. John married singer Jack Jones. St. John and Jones divorced in 1969.St. John got her start in the business when she was 5 years old. She acted under her birth name, Jill Oppenheim, until her mom, Betty Lou Oppenheim, changed her surname to “St. John” in 1953.____________________________________________________Courtney Wagner, Natalie Wood’s DaughterBy Jessica McBrideUpdated Feb 10, 2018 at 10:08pmGetty Courtney Wagner and Robert WagnerCourtney Wagner is the only child of the iconic Hollywood actress Natalie Wood and her husband, TV star Robert Wagner. She is a jewelry designer who has had troubles in her own life.Wood mysteriously died while on a yacht with Wagner and Hollywood actor Christopher Walken in 1981. Natalie’s death is getting renewed scrutiny due to the CBS program, Natalie Wood: Death in Dark Water, which features rare interviews with investigators. It aired on Saturday, February 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.The show led to the revelation that a sheriff’s investigator considers Robert Wagner a person of interest in Natalie’s death. That has some people wondering what happened to the daughter that Wood shared with Wagner: Courtney Wagner.NOT COMPLETE — TO BE UPDATED & EDITED — HOPEFULLY WITH THE ARREST OF ROBERT WAGNER

Places to see - http://www.capetown.travel/uncategorised/cape-towns-military-heritage-route-2•Cape Town and Winelands – essential visit. Where does one start. My Mom was born in the Cape so I know it well. As you indicated a visit to RSA without seeing Cape Town is a “crime”. There are some great hotels in Cape Town and surrounds.In Cape Town central visit:The V&A Waterfront.Note most of Cape Town is built on reclaimed land.There are few places as quintessentially Cape Town as the V&A Waterfront. The old world charm of the historical harbour meets the most modern shopping experience and the gaps in between are filled with fine dining restaurants, down-to- earth food markets, museums, and more leisure activities than you can count on both hands.The Castle of Good HopeBuilt by the Dutch East India Company between 1666 and 1679, the Castle is the oldest existing colonial building in South Africahttp://www.castleofgoodhope.co.zaCastle Military Museum - This museum depicts the military history of the Cape, the Castle and Cape Regiments.William Fehr Collection - This collection consists of artworks reflecting many aspects of cultural life at the Cape from the early VOC days until the end of the 19th century. Exhibitions of a contemporary nature are occasionally presented.I have been to mess dinners at two regiments based at the Castle e.g. The Cape Town Rifles (nicknamed Dukes) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Town_Rifles and The Cape Town Rifles (nicknamed Dukes)Cape Town Highlanders Regiment - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Town_Highlanders_Regiment No officer or NCO may eat before his men have eaten.Table Mountain Aerial CablewayFloor in cable car rotates so every one gets a view.http://www.tablemountain.netTable Mountain, which is home to the richest, yet smallest floral kingdom on earth, was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2011.Flanked by Devil’s Peak and Lion’s Head, Table Mountain makes up the northern end of the Cape Fold Mountain range. It’s hard to imagine, but the mountain’s distinctive flat top – a three-kilometre level plateau – was once the bottom of a valley! The mountain was given its name — Taboa do Cabo (Table of the Cape) — by Antonio de Saldahna after he climbed up Platteklip Gorge in 1503.Legend has it that the tablecloth of clouds that pours over the mountain when the southeaster blows is the result of a smoking contest between the devil and a retired sea captain called Jan van Hunks.The easiest option for getting up the mountain is the cableway, which has attracted a whopping 24 million visitors since it first opened in 1929. Significantly revamped in 1997, the cable-cars now carry up to 65 passengers per trip. The journey up the mountain takes about five minutes and the cars rotate through 360 degrees during the trip, giving you spectacular views of the mountain below. Cars depart from the lower cable station on Tafelberg Road every 10 to 15 minutes, but you can expect to spend a fair amount of time in the queue during peak season. The cableway doesn’t operate if the wind is too strong or the visibility too poor, so check in advance if the conditions seem unfavourable.If you take the cableway up the mountain, but still want to do a little walking, there are three easy walks on the plateau – the Dassie Walk, the Agama Walk, and the Klipspringer Walk. There are also free guided walks that depart – on the hour – from the Twelve Apostles Terrace. Be sure to take along your camera!Eat before you go up. Book earlyThe Gardenshttp://thecompanysgarden.comIt all started on a fateful stormy night in 1647, when the Dutch Vessel, The Nieuwe Haarlem, ran ashore on the rocks of Table Bay. Little did anyone know that what transpired would change the course of our history forever.Company's Garden was established by the Dutch East India Company in the 1650s for food.A trip to the Mother City would perhaps not be complete without a visit to the Company's Garden in Cape Town city centre. Home to historic buildings, museums, places of worship and an art gallery, it is also simply known as the Cape Town Gardens.It offers a shady green place to wander and dream and is close to the imposing Houses of Parliament and the Slave Lodge, once the residence of the slaves who played a big part in building Cape Town. Then visit the Iziko South African Museum, which features one of South Africa's only two planetariums (the other one is in Johannesburg).Don't miss South Africa's oldest cultivated pear tree and the rose garden built in 1929, which has maintained its original appeal. At the scented garden for the blind, close your eyes and inhale the different fragrances.The gardens are home to a number of squirrels happy to pose for your photographs.Nearby places of worship at the gardens include St George's Cathedral (seat of South Africa's Anglican Church) and the Great Synagogue. There is also a Holocaust Centre.Watching over the area is a statue of Sir George Gray, the Cape Colony's governor from 1845 to 1862. There are also the Cecil John Rhodes statue and the Delville Wood Memorial Garden (commemorating the battle of Delville Wood in WWI where many South Africans lost their lives). These are further examples of the historical importance of the gardens.BreakfastThree egg omelette with field mushrooms, brie and onion jam R70 (AUD7)The Fullbreakfast - beef sausage, bacon, tomato, mushrooms, eggs, hash brown and toast R80 (AUD8.50)LunchFisherman’s platter - pickled fish and calamari, snoek patè, homemade preserves, salad and crusty bread R128 (AUD12.80)Houses of Parliamenthttp://www.southafrica.net/za/en/articles/entry/article-southafrica.net-houses-of-parliament-cape-townhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliament_of_South_AfricaThe building consists of three main sections, with the original building completed in 1884, with later editions added in the 1920s, and again in the 1980s. The newest addition currently houses the National Assembly, being the lower house of the Parliament of South Africa, while the original building houses the National Council of Provinces, which is the upper house of the Parliament of South Africa.The political parties are elected not individual MPs so in a term 800 people may ultimately spend time at the Institution. I found 435 past and present MPs had defrauded the place R35 million plus (at that time about AUD17 million). The included 3 who had been appointed Cabinet Ministers in Mbeki’s government. Sadly I got 50 convictions and then got fired. Travelgate. 8 years later I am still in the Courts ha ha. The EFF are a serious problem (akin to Hitler’s Brown Shirts – they wear red ha ha)A must see. Sit in the public area in the National Assembly. See my Travelgate saga notes below. Sadly corruption is increasingly a problem. The good guys Sindiso and Mntungwa are being outnumberedKirstenbosch National Botanical Gardenshttp://www.sanbi.org/gardens/kirstenboschTruly magnificent. If you have an interest it is worth the effort.The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden truly deserves being the best-known of South Africa's nine national botanical gardens, thanks to its stunning scenery, diverse flora and themed gardens. These botanical gardens, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a must-see for anyone visiting Cape Town.Kirstenbosch Manor Guesthouse for accommodation is excellent accommodation.http://www.sanbi.org/shops-venues-services/kirstenbosch-manor-house/executive-suitehttp://www.sanbi.org/shops-venues-services/kirstenbosch-manor-house/kirstenbosch-roomhttp://www.sanbi.org/shops-venues-services/kirstenbosch-manor-house/garden-cottageChavonnes Battery Museumhttp://www.chavonnesbattery.co.zahttp://www.chavonnesbattery.co.za/pages/history/The Chavonnes Battery Museum showcases the Archaeological Ruins of a Dutch East India Company Fort. Built in 1724, using rock from Table Mountain and cement made of sea shells, guests can step below sea-level among the ribs of this old VOC Fort and touch the sand of the original shoreline at Cape of Good Hope. The museum is also host to a robust schedule of international photographic exhibitions, rich in content, and relevant in terms of contemporary thinking and topics. The venue is wheelchair accessible and offers free WIFI.Bo KaapThe earliest development in the Bo Kaap area was undertaken in the 1760s by a chap called Jan de Waal. Subsequently, the area became known as Waalendorp. It has also been known as the Malay Quarter, the Slamse Buurt, and Scotcheskloof. Translated from Afrikaans, Bo Kaap means ‘Above the Cape’. Part of the Bo Kaap’s charm is the mix of Cape Dutch and Cape Georgian architectural styles. You can actually visit one of the oldest buildings in the Bo Kaap because it has been turned into a museum. The Bo Kaap Museum, which showcases local Islamic culture and heritage, was built by Jan de Waal in 1768, and is the oldest house in the area still in its original form.District Six MuseumI think interesting. A once racially diverse and vibrant community, the original residents were forcibly removed from the area when the National Party government declared it a “white group area”. The District Six Museum – formerly a Methodist Mission Church – serves as a reminder of what the community once was. It contains a permanent multimedia exhibition called Digging Deeper, which includes narrated life histories of District Six residents.Bloubergstrand and Napoleonic WarsA Napoleonic battle was fought in the area.The battle was an incident in Europe's Napoleonic Wars. At that time, the Cape Colony belonged to the Batavian Republic, a French vassal. Because the sea route around the Cape was important to the British, they decided to seize the colony in order to prevent it—and the sea route—from also coming under French control. A British fleet was despatched to the Cape in July 1805, to forestall French troopships which Napoleon had sent to reinforce the Cape garrison.The first British warship reached the Cape on Christmas Eve 1805, and attacked two supply ships off the Cape Peninsula. Janssens placed his garrison on alert. When the main fleet sailed into Table Bay on 4 January 1806, he mobilised the garrison, declared martial law, and called up the militia.After a delay caused by rough seas, two British infantry brigades, under the command of Lt Gen Sir David Baird, landed at Melkbosstrand, north of Cape Town, on 6 and 7 January. Janssens moved his forces to intercept them. He had decided that "victory could be considered impossible, but the honour of the fatherland demanded a fight". His intention was to attack the British on the beach and then to withdraw to the interior, where he hoped to hold out until the French troopships arrived.HMS Diadem at the capture of the Cape of Good Hope, by Thomas WhitcombeHowever, on the morning of 8 January, while Janssens's columns were still slowly moving through the veld, Baird's brigades began their march to Cape Town, and reached the slopes of the Blaauwberg mountain (now spelled "Blouberg"), a few kilometres ahead of Janssens. Janssens halted and formed a line across the veld.The battle began at sunrise, with exchanges of artillery fire. These were followed by an advance by Janssens's militia cavalry, and volleys of musket fire from both sides. One of Janssens's hired foreign units, in the centre of his line, turned and ran from the field. A British bayonet charge disposed of the units on Janssens's right flank, and he ordered his remaining troops to withdraw.Janssens began the battle with 2,049 troops, and lost 353 in casualties and desertions. Baird began the battle with 5,399 men, and had 212 casualties.The British forces reached the outskirts of Cape Town on 9 January. To spare the town and its civilian population from attack, the commandant of Cape Town, Lieutenant-Colonel Hieronymus Casimir von Prophalow, sent out a white flag. He handed over the outer fortifications to Baird, and terms of surrender were negotiated later in the day.The British forces occupied the Cape until 13 August 1814, when the Netherlands ceded the colony to Britain as a permanent possession. It remained a British colony until it was incorporated into the Union of South Africa on 31 May 1910.See blow. Restaurant "Ons Huisie" (literally translated to Our Small Home). Ons Huisie has a long and colourful history in the development of Bloubergstrand. It was most probably the first dwelling of Frederick Louis Stadler. Shortly after the Battle of Blouberg in 1806, he became owner of almost all the farm property that is now known as Bloubergstrand.Cape Pointhttp://capepoint.co.zahttp://www.capetown.travel/products/flying-dutchman-funicular-cape-pointIt may not be the southernmost point of Africa – that honour goes to Cape Agulhas – but Cape Point certainly makes you feel as if you are standing at the edge of the world.)There’s currently no public transport heading to Cape Point, so a taxi, bus or rented car will get you there. As of February 2017, you can take the double decker City Sightseeing‘s Cape Point Explorer, with a convenient (not to mention cute) penguin viewing stop at Boulders Beach on the way.Named after the legend of a ghost ship haunting the area, the Flying Dutchman departs every three minutes and transports you from the car park to the upper lighthouse. The tram is locally made, environmentally friendly and can transport 450 people an hour. It’s a steep walk up if you choose to go the pedestrian route, but the views are so exhilarating you’ll hardly realise you’re exercising. A walk up and a Funicular trip down is the best of both worlds.Flying Dutchman Funicular ticket prices from 1 November 2016 – 31 October 2017Adult Return R65.00 (AUD6.50)Cape of Good Hope (entry to Cape Point) 1 November 2016 – 31 October 2017Adult R135.00 (AUD13.50)Pack your own picnic with all your favourite foods and spend the day snacking at Cape Point. Just be wary of the eager birds and baboons who do not adhere to any normal level of politeness.Personally I liked the Two Oceans Restaurant - https://www.two-oceans.co.zaMenu - https://www.two-oceans.co.za/menus/#menu eg 8 grilled prawns R260 (AUD26) / Crispy duck breast, peach, grilled wild mushrooms, broccolini, crispy maize dumplings R245 (AUD24.50)As such there is a mandatory entrance fee charged to enter this South African National Park (irrespective of whether you are dining at Two Oceans Restaurant)Further details and costs can be found at http://capepoint.co.za/visitor-info/opening-times/Koeberg Nuclear Power Station (Learn the facts and why Australia should use nuclear power – Frikkie Ellis - an associate of mine used to manage this plant)http://www.eskom.co.za/Whatweredoing/ElectricityGeneration/KoebergNuclearPowerStation/Pages/Koeberg_Power_Station.aspxhttp://www.eskom.co.za/AboutElectricity/VisitorCentres/Pages/Koeberg_Power_Station.aspxConstruction of Koeberg began in 1976. Koeberg ranks amongst the safest of the world's top ranking PWR's of its vintage and is the most reliable Eskom power station. In March 2001, Koeberg was awarded NOSCAR status for the 5th time by the National Occupational Safety Association (NOSA).Koeberg Power Station is the only nuclear power station on the African continent. It is situated at Duynefontein, 30km northwest of Cape Town in South Africa on the Atlantic coast. Koeberg ensures a reliable supply of electricity to the Western Cape one of the fastest growing regions in South Africa. It has operated safely for more than 21 years and efficiently for a decade and has a further active life of 30 - 40 years.The station is also vital for grid stability in the Cape.Most power stations use the same principles to generate electricity, i.e. by rotating a magnet inside a wire coil. The only difference is the source of energy used to rotate the shaft of the generator. In thermal power stations, it is the steam produced by heat generated either by burning a fossil fuel, through nuclear fission or through concentrating solar energy.South Africa is a water-scarce country, and its coal reserves are only expected to last until the middle of the century. Furthermore, combustion processes present health and environmental impacts that must be mitigated or eliminated. One alternative is nuclear power.Spent fuel is fuel that has been used in the fission process. Radiation starts decreasing immediately after the fission reaction has stopped and within approximately 10 years has decreased by more than 95%.University of Cape TownThe University of Cape Town (UCT) is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College making it the oldest higher education institute in South Africa, it is jointly the oldest university in South Africa and the oldest extant university in Sub-Saharan Africa alongside Stellenbosch University which received full university status on the same day in 1918. UCT is the highest-ranked African university in the QS World University Rankings, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and the Academic Ranking of World Universities, and its Law and Commerce Faculties are consistently placed among the hundred best internationally. The language of instruction is English.Professor Christiaan Barnard, performed the world's first heart transplant at Groote Schuur HospitalRobben Islandwww.robben-island.org.zaThe name is Dutch for "seal island.”The Apartheid government wasn’t the first to use the island as a prison. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dutch sent political prisoners from the Dutch East Indies to the island. There is a Kramat (holy shrine) on the island dedicated to the Prince of Madura – Pangeran Chakra Deningrat – who died on the island in 1754, and the first chief imam of the Cape spent 13 years (from 1780 to 1793) imprisoned on the island.When the Brits took over in the Cape, they too used the island to imprison those who resisted their rule. After a failed uprising in Grahamstown, they sent the instigator, Makanda Nxele, to the island. He managed to overpower the guards, but didn’t survive the swim to the mainland. However, there were others who managed the escape. The first person to successfully make the swim from Robben Island to the mainland – no easy feat given the treacherous rocks, icy water, and possibility of sharks – was a convict called Jan Rykman in 1690.Robben Island is famous, or rather infamous, as the holding place for the imprisoned Nelson Mandela. Mandela served 18 of his 27 years in prison incarcerated on the island’s prison, but Robben Island has also housed a hospital, mental institution, leper colony and military base during its rich history.If Mandela had committed the same attacks at that time in the USA, Russia or China, he would have been executed.As with Australia the British deposited criminals and other people they did not want on Robben Island. Now more an ANC propaganda exercise. Penguins and other interestsAccommodation in the Cape•Twelve Apostles and SpaPersonally I like to stay at the Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa (isolated with lovely mountains behind it and close to Cape Town, Camps Bay, Hout bay, Llandudno etc). Get a sea facing room – great sunset drinks and dining. They have very long days in summer in the Cape. As hiring a car is required to see the wine lands this not a problem. And the Capetonians still drive reasonably well.Enjoy a spa, massage etchttps://www.12apostleshotel.comVoted No. 6 Top Hotel in South Africa By TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards 2017•Mount Nelson Hotel.When I was CFO of the South African Parliament (4 years) I lived very close to the Gardens and Mount Nelson Hotel. Excellent hotel situated at the top of Gardens therefore easy access to Parliament and city centre.https://www.belmond.com/mount-nelson-hotel-cape-town/In the Gardens when people look up at the statue of Cecil John Rhodes pointing most people assume he is pointing south towards the sea but in fact he is pointing north – where he saw future opportunity.In Cape Town itself and its surrounds the hotels can be a mixed bag. I would look at:•Cape Heritage Hotel 90 Bree Street, City Bowl (Good and central)http://capeheritage.co.zahttp://capeheritage.co.za/rooms/Standard room R2,950 (AUD295)Luxury room R3,770 (AUD377)•La Grenadine Petite Hotel, 15 Park Road, Gardens, Cape Town (Owned by French folk. Good location and value)http://www.lagrenadine.co.za/about-la-grenadine-guesthouse-capetown.htmlFive rooms and a two bedroom cottage (above). Click numbers in flower to see room images. Rooms vary in price.•Radisson Blu HotelWaterfront, Granger Bay (Great location but at the same price prefer Twelve Apostles)https://www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-capetownhttps://www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-capetown/rooms•POD Boutique Hotel, Camps Bayhttp://www.pod.co.zahttp://www.pod.co.za/rooms/A stay in the Mother City would not be complete without a visit to the Camps Bay strip, renowned for its beaches, gastronomy, nightlife and beautiful people.•Vineyard Hotel, Colinton Road, Newlands (Ideal during rugby union season)https://www.vineyard.co.zahttps://www.vineyard.co.za/dininghttps://www.vineyard.co.za/accommodation/•Blue Peter, Bloubergstrandhttp://www.southafrica.net/za/en/articles/entry/article-southafrica.net-bloubergstrandhttps://www.accommodirect.com/destinations/bloubergstrand/View of Cape Town from Blouberg StrandPersonally I would not bother with the Robben Island trip and elect to stay a night or two in Bloubergstrand.Bloubergstrand accommodation: Blue PeterVery fine hotel: http://www.bluepeter.co.za/index.html (RECOMMEND THIS PLACE -Lower deck menue: http://www.bluepeter.co.za/pdf/LowerDeckMenu.pdf eg Angus Beef Rump Steak 300g R175 (AUD17.50) Veggies extra but who wants veggies!!Al la carte menu - http://www.bluepeter.co.za/pdf/Lighthouse%20Menu.pdf eg Roast duck breast with orange and lemon sauce , chip or baked potato or side salad or vegetables/ Cape Seafood Curry R130.00 (AUD13) Live music weekendsRates including breakfast and VATDivide by 10 to rough AUD equivalent•Muizeburg– interesting beach changing rooms. Drive on to Simonstown for accommodation.https://www.accommodirect.com/listing/20339•Simonstownhttp://aha.co.za/quayside/accommodation/ and http://whaleviewmanor.co.za (sea facing rooms) and http://www.simonstown.com/accommodation/bed-and-breakfast/a-boat-houseNavy base, penguins etc. Visit the naval museum•Franshoek– Leeu Collection (Very nice but very expensive)http://leeucollection.com/stay/http://leeucollection.com/lqf/the-tasting-room/http://leeucollection.com/lqf/rates/Le Quartier Français, a 21-room boutique hotel and three-bedroom LQF Villa located in Franschhoek, is set in private perfumed gardens with mountain views. Le Quartier Francais offers guests a gourmet destination with easy access to the village and sister property Leeu Estates, a five-minute drive away.•Lundunohttps://www.accommodirect.com/destinations/llandudno/http://capetown.travel/category/visitors/see-do/arts-cultureVery expensive properties•Camps Bay / Clifton Beachhttps://www.accommodirect.com/destinations/camps-bay/•Hout Bayhttps://www.accommodirect.com/destinations/hout-bay/Good shark SCUBA divingWinelands of the Western CapeSouth Africa is one of the most prominent wine-producing countries in the Southern Hemisphere. With more than 300 years of winemaking history, it is often described as bridging the gap between the Old World and New. The majority of wines are made using New World winemaking techniques but often have more in common stylistically with their Old World counterparts.Vines were first planted in South Africa by Dutch settlers in the 1650s, although wine production did not really begin to take off until French Huguenots arrived with viticultural skills and knowledge in the 1680s. South Africa’s oldest wine estate is located in Constantia, where the production of the legendary dessert wine Vin de Constance gave the region worldwide fame in the 18th and 19th centuries. Stellenbosch is equally historic as a wine-producing region, the first vineyards having been planted here in the 1690s.Today, South Africa is the ninth-largest producer of wine in the world, with some 100,000 hectares (250,000 acres) under vine. More than 250,000 people are employed in the industry and South African wine has enjoyed international attention and acclaim for its wide variety of styles.•ConstantiaHistorical region that's tucked away in the smart southern suburbs of Cape Town (this is where the first vineyards were planted in South Africa), now undergoing a bit of a revival. As well as being a beautiful region, the vineyards are ideally sited on the slopes of Constantia Mountain, where they are cooled by the sea breezes. Just five estates here, all good: Klein Constantia, Groot Constantia, Buitervenwachting, Constantia Uitsig and Steenberg.•FranschoekThe Franschoek valley is a small but significant region, inland (to the west) of Stellenbosch. Surrounded by the spooky-sounding Drakenstein mountains, the wide variety of soils and relatively high rainfall permits production of a wide variety of wine styles. It's a hotter region than Stellenbosch, and with its profusion of trendy restaurants it can rightfully claim to be the gourmet capital of the winelands. An easy day trip from Cape Town.Franschhoek translates as ‘French corner’, commemorating the Huguenot refugees granted land here in their flight from 17th century persecution in France. It is refreshingly compact, with most of the shops, restaurants and the Huguenot Memorial located within minutes of the main street.Thanks to the French influence, some of the country’s best vineyards are also in and around the town.•PaarlWell known region north-west of Cape Town, and home to several leading producers, including Veenwouden, Nederburg, Fairview, Glen Carlou and Plaisir de Merle. Traditionally a white wine region, but with its Mediterranean climate and terroirs it's now focusing more on reds. Hotter than Stellenbosch, so the very best wines come from the more elevated vineyards.Paarl nestles in a valley between dramatic mountains, and enjoys a unique place in South African history, as it is the spiritual home of the Afrikaans language.A monument to the language crowns one of the summits above Paarl, and provides superb views over the Winelands and towards Table Mountain. The historic heart of the town boasts pretty buildings and the residential streets become roads which wend their way up the mountain slopes through beautiful vineyards.•StellenboschJust a short distance east of Cape Town, this is the country's leading wine area, and is home to many of the country's leading estates. The town itself is dominated by the University, and despite its relatively large size has quite a relaxed feel. Vineyards fringed by mountains make for some lovely views, and the wine route, which takes tourists through several different trails, is well marked out. There are several different subregions, and the geology here is quite complex. Simplistically, the granite-based soils in the east are especially suited to the production of fine red wines, whereas the sandstone soils in the west are best for whites.Stellenbosch is at the heart of the Winelands.Though the oldest European settlement in South Africa after Cape Town, it often feels the youngest, with a vitality imbued by the student population attending its famous university.Many of the avenues are lined with 300-year-old oak trees that shelter historic mansions and stately homes, while there are also pretty lanes lined with plentiful cafés and restaurants.It’s a welcoming town, easy and rewarding to explore on foot.http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-south+africahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantia,_Cape_Townhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franschhoekhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paarlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StellenboschRestaurants and entertainmentDuring the 365 years since 1652 Cape Town has existed in one form or another, local tastes have absorbed Portuguese, Dutch, German, French, Malay, African etc menus.The Cape is food….http://www.capetown.travel/category/visitors/eat-drinkNOTE: 10% gratuities are expected. Check VAT included or excluded in the priceThe following restaurants are worth doing:•Azure Restaurantat the Twelve Apostles and Spahttps://www.12apostleshotel.com/food-and-drink/azure-restauranthttps://www.12apostleshotel.com/~/media/ttc/rch/12%20apostles%20hotel/pdf/161118_12a_azurerestaurant_alacarte.pdf?la=enVery fine place to eat. Note dress code. Great viewsStartersPan-seared Abalone gently pan-fried with butter and lemon R595 (AUD59.50) This stuff is like gold but worth being able to say I have had itCrayfish & Prawn Cocktail - crayfish and queen prawn cocktail with fresh lettuce, rocket, avocado and lime segments, dressed with a piquant Marie Rose sauce R245 (AUD24.50)MainGrilled Seafood Platter - legendary seafood platter offers a generous seafood selection for two - consisting of West Coast crayfish, prawns, medium langoustines,fresh fish-of-the-day, grilled baby calamari tubes, mussels cooked in a blonde, lemon garlic sauce, with steamed basmati rice, side green salad, and sauces R1,615 (AUD162)Venison - (impala loin or wildebeest loin) - roast garlic mielie-meal, fermented red cabbage, micro baby beetroot creamed turnip purée, blackberry gel, coffee infused jus R295 (AUD29.50)They do vegetarian – why I do not know ha ha•The Aubergine Restaurant(Cape Town) is a MUST!! In fact the surrounds to the Mt Nelson has many good bars and restaurants. My old stomping grounds.http://aubergine.co.zahttp://aubergine.co.za/_content/_food/menu/dinner.pdfhttp://www.cooksister.com/2008/08/aubergine-cape-town.html3-course menu R580 (AUD58) with wine pairing R790 (AUD79) 4-course menu R720 (AUD72) with wine pairing R990 (AUD99) 5-course menu R875 (AUD86) with wine pairing R1200 (AUD120)•Dias Tavernhttp://www.diastavern.co.zahttp://www.diastavern.co.za/14-2/http://www.diastavern.co.za/set-menu/ (AUD19 including live music)Basic décor but great food. You love it to hate it but I have always enjoyed it•Signal Restaurant– Cape Grace Hotel(Posh) The bar is worth a visit – see Virtual Tourhttps://www.capegrace.com/#/en/Dining/SignalRestauranthttps://www.capegrace.com/Content/SignalRestaurant/DinnerMenu.pdf?94196Signal Restaurant draws on influences from the many nationalities and customs that have shaped this region since being settled in 1652; namely Dutch and British settlers, French Huguenots, Asian traders and African cultures.Mains:Bobotie-spiced springbok, sweet potato rosti, cauliflower purée, curried lentil jus R280 (AUD28) PS I make a very fine BobotjiePan-fried fresh fish, truffle creamed potato, roasted leek velouté, onion crisps R195 (AUD19.50)Six course food and wine pairing meal R1020 (AUD102)•The Codfather, 37 The Drive, Camps Bay(GREAT SEAFOOD)http://www.codfather.co.zahttp://www.codfather.co.za/menu/http://www.codfather.co.za/set-menu/Well worth a visit if you like seafood. Set menus for groups of 50 people.•Ons Huisie, 18 Generaal Jansen Road, Bloubergstrand(A must restaurant in Bloubergstrand - see above Napoleonic battle)http://onshuisie.co.zahttp://onshuisie.co.za/menus/lunch-and-dinner-menu/Venison Potjie – slow cooked venison combined with carrots, baby potatoes, onions garlic simmered in red wine. Sere with ice R98 (AUD9.80)This is a potjieOne baked snoek basted with apricot and butter sauce served with sweet potato cakes and vegetable of the day R88 (AUD8.80)Snook is a barracuda fish often smoked. The Cape snoek is an elongated, silvery fish that can reach a maximum length of 2m and weigh up 9kg. Large bones but delicious•The Test Kitchen, Woodstockhttp://www.thetestkitchen.co.za/home2/http://www.thetestkitchen.co.za/food/the-test-kitchen-experience/Top 3 restaurant in South Africa.•The Greenhouse, The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel, 93 Brommersvlei Road, Constantiahttp://www.greenhouserestaurant.co.zahttp://www.greenhouserestaurant.co.za/uploads/AfricanHunterGathererMenu.pdfRanked in the top 10 best restaurants in South Africa. Situated on a beautiful estate in the Constantia Valley. Not enough on the plate for me.•Grande Provence, Main Road, Franschhoekhttp://www.grandeprovence.co.zahttp://www.grandeprovence.co.za/cuisine/the-restaurant/the-menus/http://www.grandeprovence.co.za/media/179513/The-Dinner-Menu-March-2017.pdfDinnerÀ la Carte and Set Menu R 725.00* (AUD72.50)Grande Provence Gourmand Dégustation Menu R 1,750.00* (AUD175) per person with wines, including two foreign wines* excluding gratuity and beverages•Catharina’s at Steenberghttp://www.steenbergfarm.com/catharinas/Catharina’s Restaurant at Steenberg pays homage to the woman who started it all, the fascinating and feisty Catharina Ras, who founded Steenberg in the 17th century. A multitude of origami swans swing from the ceiling. These figures serve a symbolic purpose – as Steenberg Vineyards’ original name was “Swaaneweide” – The Feeding Place of Swans. In 1682, a homesick Catharina Ras had mistaken the spur-winged geese of the Steenberg region for swans. A single black swan hangs from the ceiling, and acknowledges both the past and future of Steenberg.The black swan symbolises Catharina Ras, who truly stood out, in her time and in ours, as the first female land owner in Africa and a true eccentric with a ground-breaking attitude towards life.http://www.steenberghotel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/A-la-Carte-and-Tasting-menu-27Jan2017.pdfStarter - Venison Gratinata, king oyster mushroom, artichoke hearts, capers, parmesan cheese, basil pesto, pickled aubergine, spiced avocado puree R120 (AUD12)Main - Grilled impala loin, smoked aubergine maize meal, chakalaka, buttered baby marrow, chick peas and fine beans with a toasted pine nut and coriander dressing,red wine jus R215 (AUD21.50)•Arnold’s Cafehttp://www.arnolds.co.zaHere you can get:CrocodileGemsbok Wellington wrapped in bacon, mushroom duxelle, served medium rare with a red wine sauce and seasonal vegetables R190 (AUD19)Grilled Kudu loin - wrapped in bacon, mushroom duxelle, served medium rare with a red wine sauce and seasonal vegetables R190 (AUD19)Braised springbok shank slow cooked shank, braised in tomato & herbs, served with mashed potato and vegetables R190 (AUD19)Grilled warthog ribs smoked spare ribs R185 (AUD18.50)Ostrich steak - tender steak, served medium, topped with a creamy madagascan green peppercorn sauce, vegetables and potato wedges R135 (AUD13.50)South african game platter 4 cuts of game from our african plains, grilled and presented in arnold’s unique way R230 (AUD23)•Goldhttp://www.goldrestaurant.co.zahttp://www.goldrestaurant.co.za/images/foodmenu/GOLD_SummerMenu.jpg (no prices – beware ha ha)Contrary to popular western perceptions of a predominantly meat-based diet, authentic African cooking consists of organically produced whole grains, beans, fresh fruit and vegetables. These dishes epitomise a culture of healthy eating.Not enough meat for me ha haExpensive alternativeHelicopter flightsConsider a helicopter flight around the Cape and wine tasting trip (AUD1,826) - https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/AttractionProductDetail?product=12189P23&d=310925&aidSuffix=xsell&partner=ViatorShark divingBest place in the world to see great white sharks in hungry mode. SCUBA or stay on the boat. Magnificent beasts. Very cold water and I can tell you from personal experience – 12 degrees COther places and activities:•Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve. Anyone of the accommodations. Recommend Little Bush Camp. Will probably see all of the big 5 without it feeling like a zoo visit.http://www.sabisabi.comhttp://www.sabisabi.com/lodges/littlebushcamp/•ROVOS Rail Pride of Africa. When I travelled on it 10 years ago – magnificent. Personally I would again spend the money to occupy a Royal Suite especially if accompanied by a delightful someone. Divide by 10 and the Rand number is not a problem anymore ha ha. None the less all the accommodation I saw when I travelled on the Pride of Africa was excellent. The romance of steam trains. Any of the 2-3 day journeys are worth doing. I have done Pretoria Cape Town and Pretoria Victoria Falls. Each requires a return flight. Without knowing time limitations I would probably to Vic Falls and the fly to Cape Townhttps://www.rovos.comhttps://www.rovos.com/trains/royal-suites•Orange Free State - historyThe history of the Free State is fraught with cultural clashes, wars, victories, surrenders, peace treaties and conventions. Two of the most significant events that unfolded here and helped shape the history of South Africa were the arrival of the Voortrekkers and the South African War (also known as the Anglo-Boer War).The South African War, which included the Orange Free State, was one of Britain's longest and most expensive wars.The history of the Free State is a portrait of turbulence and turmoil. Previously called the Orange Free State, South Africa's Free Sate province is located between the Orange and Vaal rivers and has seen its fair share of bloodshed.In the 1800s, the notorious Zulu chief Mzilikazi rampaged through the region, all but wiping out the indigenous peoples that inhabited the area.Then in 1824, the first Dutch, German and French Huguenot farmers arrived from the Cape, followed by the first families of the Great Trek – a mass migration of Dutch-speaking colonists known as the Voortrekkers who left the Cape in search of independence.These settlers clashed with Mzilikazi, but the infamous Zulu chief was later defeated and fled north. The Dutch, German and French settlers who established themselves as Afrikaners, and many of whom established themselves as farmers, or 'Boers', attempted to establish an independent republican government, but struggles with the invading British armies put paid to this.The region's troubles were far from over. The Afrikaners clashed further with local indigenous peoples and then took up arms against the British in the South African War. This bloodiest of wars raged unabated for three years, ending on 31 May 1902 with the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging, which placed the Orange Free State (and South African Republic) under British rule.In 1910 the Orange Free State became a province within South Africa. It remained so until after the first democratic elections, when it was renamed the Free State.There are numerous sites scattered around the province that tell the story of these skirmishes, including battle sites, blockhouses, cemeteries and monuments.The history of the Free State also includes the discovery of gold, after which the province experienced a gold rush and mines sprang up overnight. Entire cities were planned around the rich gold deposits, which are today rated among the best in the world.•ShakalandMy then Australian girlfriend and I enjoyed my stay at Shakaland. Traditional dancing, tools etc.http://aha.co.za/Shakaland•LesothoFrom Welcome: In Lesotho my friend Mntungwa Morojele owns Motebong lodge in Lesotho (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mntungwamorojele/). I am sure if contacted he would ensure your group got to see the best of Lesotho. He and I were members of the Institute of Directors and attended the governing body. Good man. Let me know if you want me to speak to him and ensure your team get excellent service. Trout fishing and pony rides are a requirementHigh enough for snow in the winter monthshttp://motebong.comFrom Durban: Sani Pass. The drive is no longer as arduous as it once. I drove it several times before South Africa invaded Lesotho and widened the road.•Okavango DeltaIn 1972+- the Rhodesian Army “suggested” that I and four other soldiers might like to patrol from Pandamatenga up to the Caprivi Strip occasionally taking a helicopter ride into the Okavango Delta to look for some “bad fellows” and send them to the next world.I cannot comment on present day commercial operations but I can tell you that there was water, water and more water every where. Plenty of wild life including elephant and the most magnificent sable antelope I have ever seen.LadiesThis evening I was again asked to provide commentary on visiting Africa.The additional commentary to that I have already provided is as follows:I certainly have family and friends who would be pleased to give you up to date advice on South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique (great SCUBA), Angola, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.I also have personal knowledge of the Congo but do not recommend you go there. I am also a close associate with South Africa’s former High Commissioner to Tanzania. He would be happy to advise on Tanzania and the Kenya. Personally I would concentrate on South Africa.For game reserves – see South Africa National Parks & Game Reserves (A-Z List)The reserve Charmaine has suggested is excellent. Phinda, Mala Mala, Kruger etc all have great merit and each has positives and negatives.South Africa and all its peoples are mostly wonderful people. Sadly their politicians let the country down. True of many countries.Without suggesting mischievous behaviour is your intent please be very careful regarding intimate activities.AIDS is very prevalent throughout South Africa particularly KwaZulu-Natal. The Mens Clinic (attends to men’s requirement and in particular viagra etc) in Johannesburg did a test of their clients blood. 40% of the men were HIV positive most without knowing it. Considering that the clients would generally be well off and per capital representative of the sexual propensities of the men attending, their lack of awareness is a concern.In the Western Cape the problem is Hepatitis C. In that province drug abuse amongst a segment of that population is identified as the cause.Dr. Mantombazana 'Manto' Edmie Tshabalala-Msimang served as Minister of Health from 1999 to 2008 under President Thabo Mbeki. Her emphasis on treating South Africa's AIDS epidemic with easily accessible alcoholic beverages and vegetables such as garlic and beetroot, rather than with antiretroviral medicines, was the subject of international criticism. It has been alleged that these policies led to the deaths of over 300,000 South Africans. (ref Manto Tshabalala-Msimang - Wikipedia).Health issues and domestic violence loom large in Africa.On a lighter side and without being sexist, I have always like the Zulu approach to marriage.A man can have as many wives as he can afford. More importantly the first mother in law manages the home routine including who sleeps with the husband and in what order, who does the dishes etc.The man is only responsible for drinking beer and going to war.I understand the reason the Zulus were so aggressive is because there was a lot of pressure from the women for the men to go to war.I trust you will all enjoy and benefit from your visit to what is a very interesting part of the world.