Local Expert
René & Andrew
Rene is a registered guide in Cape Town and the surrounding areas i.e. West Coast, Winelands, Overberg, Route 62 & Garden Route.I have lived in Cape Town all my life and know all the secrets of this…
Rene is a registered guide in Cape Town and the surrounding areas i.e. West Coast, Winelands, Overberg, Route 62 & Garden Route.I have lived in Cape Town all my life and know all the secrets of this vibrant city. Andrew has travel the world & has now settled in South Africa. We specialise in custom made tours, audio tours and aternative tourism. We speak English and Afrikaans and a good few words and phrases in a few of the 11 official languages that there are in South Africa. We are interested in Culture, History, Wildlife, Music... and are keen photographers.
"George" is the new addition to our family he is a 1984 Series 3s Station Wagon Land Rover who has tavelled all over Africa doing relief work. He gets us to places and on paths beyond our dreams...
Come and join us in the city known as the Gateway to Africa! Contact us on apr@axxess.co.za
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Heart Transplant Museum
Today we popped into a local museum which is filled with not only history but a lot of drama and life altering experiences. Based at the foot of Devils Peak and on the premises of Groote Schuur (meaning Big Barn) Hospital in the original theatre suites. The Heart Transplant museum is one of the most interesting experiences in Cape Town.
Who would have ever believed that on the 3rd December 1967 the first ever heart transplant was done by Dr Christian Barnard at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. The transplant was done on Louis Washkansky and was considered a success as he lived for 18 days but unfortunately he died of Pneumonia not because the new heart gave in.
Today visitors can go on a two hour tour taking you back in time into the mind of a very courageous doctor who made medical history not only in South Africa but internationally when he transplanted a human heart into another human being's body after doctors hand written the patient off due to his poor health condition.
During the tour we visited all the original totally restored operating theatres and spent time in watching various videos paying tribute to all who participated in the transplant such as Hamilton Naki, Dr Chris Barnard, Denise Darvall etc..
Both the original Groote Schuur Hospital building and the operating theatre suites have been declared National Monuments.
Even though the tour is a bit pricey (R200 for a non South African adults)we would still recommend that if anyone is in the medical field or just has a slight interest interest in medical matters then a visit to the Heart Transplan Museum is well worth a visit.