Peru, 2002: Memoirs of a Writer in Peru

By Mary Hilaire Tavenner PhD

Visit the author's website at www.DutchInk.com

During the fall of 2002, (Peru's spring), Dr. Mary Hiliare Tavenner and her sister-in-law, Sadie Gonzales Tavenner, went to visit a nun/friend who teaches English as a Second Language for the Catholic University of Peru. Sr. Joseph Louse Reichlin, OSF, is a member of a religious order whose Motherhouse is located in Syracuse, New York.

After more than a year of preparation, the trio sets out to explore the culture, people and history of Peru together. They are fortunate to have well-informed and entertaining guides...Cucha Bravo, Darwin Camacho Paredes and Geraldine Collcardenes, among them. Their exploits include traveling in Lima, a city of more than eight million people...a visit to Cusco, the oldest inhabited city of the Western Hemisphere...and a stay in the Amazon River Basin. These adventurers see pirhana up close, six-inch long grasshoppers, and taste the popular Peruvian delicacy of "Cuy," cooked guinea pig.

Most Americans never have the opportunity to visit Peru, but Dr. Tavenner's book is an opportunity to experience vicariously the Shrine of St. Rose of Lima, patron saint of all the Americas, and the first saint from the Western Hemisphere to be canonized. You will also learn of the great, and dealy beloved St. Martin de Porres, patron saint of interrracial and social justice. The reader will venture into the Sacred Valley and learn of ancient civilizations who continue to revere Mother Earth, "Pachamama." Tavenner's book includes the accomplishments and terror of Francisco Pizzaro, both famous and infamous Spanish Conqueror. You will see images of the Peruvian homeless, the glorious natural beauty of the diverse topography, along with snippets of their intimate adventure.

No other travelogue has captured so much in so few pages and in such a short time! Rarely has any book ever revealed such personal reflection and response from an author. This book records a two-week-long Peruvian odyssey. How many people have ventured to a foreign country and returned home with the desire to tell and to share their experiences with family and friends? This author takes this natural inclination one step further...she writes of and publishes her exploits in a book! The reader will actually feel the spontaneity of Tavenner's journey as it unfolds with each passing day.

Dr. Tavenner is interviewed in Peru on a national cable network and gives her first international lectures to the faculty, students and staff of the Language Dept. for Catholic University of Peru! Tavenner is obviously edified and inspired by the 30 plus years of missionary work accomplished by native born Hawaiian, Sr. Francis Clare de Gracia, OSF, and the other Franciscan sisters devoted to the people of Peru. Both she and her companion, Sadie, are continuously gratified for the delicious Franciscan hospitality of the sisters.

Dr. Tavenner proudly dedicates the memoirs of her Peruvian adventure to the memory of her brother, Garth Montgomery Tavenner (1945-2000) and his entire New Mexico family.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 9, 2004
• ISBN: 9781465320179

Mary Hilaire Tavenner PhD

Dr. Mary Hilaire (Sally) Tavenner of Dutch Ink Publishing is an educator, public speaker, and author of six books; (seven, including her dissertation.) She has consulted for a 3 million docudrama on the life of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, attended Mother Seton’s Canonization in 1974 and Mother Marianne Cope’s Beatification in 2005. Tavenner taught several thousand children and adults during her career as an educator in New York, Ohio, Florida and Puerto Rico. She has served as an adjunct for the University of South Florida, Tiffin University, Cleveland State, Ashland University and Lorain County Community College. Dr. Tavenner is the President of the Friends of Helen Steiner Rice, a world-famous poet from her hometown of Lorain, Ohio. Dr. Tavenner is currently self-employed, working for “Dutch Ink”, a publishing business named in honor of her mother “Dutch”. “Dr. T” also teaches ESOL, part-time for Lorain City Schools Adult Education. Dr. Hilaire (Sally) Tavenner can be contacted via her website: www.dutchink.com and her books are available from her website as well as every bookstore in America, upon request.

Book preview

PERU 2002:

MEMOIRS OF A

WRITER IN PERU

MARY HlLAIRE (SALLY) TAVENNER PH.D.

Copyright © 2003 by Mary Hilaire (Sally) Tavenner Ph.D..

All rights reserved. Any and all parts of this book may be reprinted for the purpose

of inspiration, education, or communication of truth to others. It is however, the

request of the author that she be cited when one or more of the various sections are

reproduced. In the event you need more than one section, the author requests that

you purchase the entire book. Books may be purchased from:

Dutch Ink at www.DutchInk.com.

The cover of this book is a watercolor likeness of Chimchero, located in the Sacred

Valley and purchased from a merchant in the Pisac Marketplace. The artist could not

be identified, but the image is typical of Peruvian style.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

22130

Contents

PHOTO CREDITS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE

GETTING READY FOR THE TRIP

CHAPTER TWO

DAY ONE: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15th

CHAPTER THREE

DAY TWO: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16th

CHAPTER FOUR

DAY THREE: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17th

CHAPTER FIVE

DAY FOUR: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18th

CHAPTER SIX

DAY FIVE: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19th

CHAPTER SEVEN

DAY SIX: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20th

CHAPTER EIGHT

DAY SEVEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21st

CHAPTER NINE

DAY EIGHT, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22nd

CHAPTER TEN

DAY NINE, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23rd

CHAPTER ELEVEN

DAY TEN, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24th

CHAPTER TWELVE

DAY ELEVEN, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25th

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

DAY TWELVE, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26th

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

DAY THIRTEEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27th

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

DAY FOURTEEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28th

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

DAY FIFTEEN, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29th

SOURCES

PHOTO CREDITS

Photo #1: Garth Montgomery Tavenner, my brother. Photo taken by my brother, Robert, April 8, 2000 in Bob’s Westerville, OH home.

Photo #2: Tomb of Francisco Pizarro, conqueror of Peru and founder of Lima. Born in Spain 1478 and murdered in Lima, 1541. Body rediscovered and placed in Lima Cathedral 1985. Photo by Sadie Tavenner.

Photo #3: Likeness of St. Rose of Lima. An image I purchased at the shrine store in St. Dominic’s church. No artist identified.

Photo #4: Government Palace and Lima Square. Photo by Sadie Tavenner.

Photo #5: Peruvian tapestry created by prisoners and purchased by Sr. Clare and kept in their Lima convent dining room. The Miracle of the Multiplication of Bread and Fish. Jesus and the community are depicted as Peruvian. Photo by Sadie Tavenner.

Photo #6: Original tomb of St. Rose of Lima, located in St. Dominic’s Church. Left to right: Hilaire Tavenner, Sr. Joseph Louise and Sadie Tavenner. Photo by Cucha Bravo.

Photo #7: Image of St. Martin de Porres, patron saint of interracial and social justice. Purchased at his shrine. No artist identified.

Photo #8: Cuy . . . a popular delicacy meal of cooked guinea pig. Photo by Sadie Tavenner.

Photo #9: One of countless spectacular vistas of Sacred Valley. Photo by Sadie Tavenner.

Photo #10: Darwin Camacho Paredes, our guide and Machu Picchu. Photo by Sadie Tavenner.

Photo #11: Geraldine Collcardenes, our Amazon Jungle (Posada Amazonas) guide. Photo by Hilaire Tavenner.

Photo #12: A pirhana from Tres Chimbadas Lake. Up close and personal! Photo by Sadie Tavenner.

Photo #13: Sadie’s birthday party at the convent. Left to right: Sr. Lastenia, Sadie Tavenneie, Sr. Joseph Louise, Elena, (an aspirant to the community) and Sr. Cristina, seated. Photo by Hilaire Tavenner.

Photo #14: A homeless man sleeps on the street in Cusco, the oldest city in the Western Hemisphere. Photo by Hilaire Tavenner.

Photo #15: The Pacific Coast of Lima . . . at Miraflores and Larco Mar. Photo by Sadie Tavenner.

Photo #16: Mary Hilaire Tavenner and Fr. Manuel Rodriques at the television studio of Channel 19, Telejuan of PAX network in Peru. Taken just after my interview by Sr. Joseph Louise.

Photo #17: A Palace Guard poses just after the impressive Changing of the Guard ceremony. Reminded me of England. Photo by Hilaire Tavenner.

Photo #18: The homeless man of Cusco, posing proudly for a photograph. Thoughts of him on many Thanksgiving Days to come. Photo by Hilaire Tavenner.

Photo #19: A clever entrepreneur at Koricancha had snapped my picture getting off the bus and fastened it to a postcard.

Photo #20: A $3.00 portrait of me by Emilio done in Lima Square.

Image372.JPG

My brother, Garth Montgomery Tavenner.

DEDICATED TO MEMORY OF MY BROTHER,

GARTH MONTGOMERY TAVENNER

September 18, 1944-May 20, 2000

His wife, Maria Zenaida Sadie Gonzales Tavenner

Their eight children:

Garth Montgomery Tavenner Jr. (1966-1983)

Michael Anthony Tavenner

Alice Dionne Tavenner Carlton

Wendy Zenaida Tavenner

Frank Montgomery Tavenner

Elton Lynn Tavenner Quentin Luke Tavenner

Nichole Gonzales Tavenner

To their spouses, grandchildren, and extended families.

OTHER BOOKS BY

DR. HILAIRE (SALLY) TAVENNER include:

Nun of This and Nun of That: Book One, Beginnings Nun of This and Nun of That: Book Two, Making Vows A Portrait of Helen Steiner Rice: A Lorain Version France, 1996

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

MY MOTHER MARY CATHERINE MONTGOMERY TAVENNER Aka DUTCH

And to every kind soul who has ever believed in me. To God be the glory!

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

St. Rose of Lima

St. Martin de Porres Jeremy Lee Tavenner

The Sisters of St. Francis, Syracuse, New York

Sr. Joseph Louise Reichlin, OSF Sadie Tavenner Ellin Andrews

Anne Somplack

Martha McGuckin

To everyone who took or contributed photographs/images

To all who have helped me

The Children of Peru

Image379.JPG

Tomb of Francisco Pizarro.

FOREWORD

I met Sr. Joseph Louise Reichlin, OSF, just after I entered the convent in Syracuse, New York. I was born in Lorain, Ohio, and Sr. Joseph Louise was born in Texas, but we both grew up in Lorain. Her name was Rose Ann Reichlin and I was Sally Lynne Tavenner. Sr. Jo (as I prefer to call her) had been in the community for 7 years and I was just entering. My mother knew her mother, many years prior, when Sr. Jo’s mother was dying of cancer in St. Joseph Hospital. Mr. & Mrs. Reichlin had twin children, Rose Ann and Joseph. They were only seven. Mom worked nights as a nurse’s aide and told me how sad it was for her to care for Mrs. Reichlin. By then Mom had five of her own children and the sadness of these circumstances was something she never forgot. I had heard of Rose Ann Reichlin before I entered the community, but never met her until that day she came to the postulancy to introduce herself. That was 36 years ago. I had remained a member of the community from 1966-1984 . . . for almost 20 years.

Even after I left in 1984, over the years, Sr. Jo and I often would visit each other. Both of her parents are deceased and her only brother, Joseph, lives in New Orleans. Because of this, Jo often spends much of her vacation time in or near Lorain, Ohio—sometimes visiting her family ties in Sandusky, sometimes visiting the Filisko family, and sometimes visiting with me at the Lorain Tavenner homestead of three generations.

During the summer of 2001, Sister’s brother, Joseph, came up from Louisiana. While we all sat out in the side yard and shared stories, I suggested the idea of visiting Sr. Jo in Peru. She had worked there for two years teaching English, as a second language, in the Language Center of Lima’s Catholic University. We later discussed the idea of meyinviting my sister-in-law, Sadie to join me. Sr. Jo was enthusiastic about the idea.

For the past six years, I have had no inclination toward international travel, except to Ireland. Great Britain is a place I have hoped to see for a long time, but with Sr. Jo in Peru, it appeared a more reasonable objective to work toward. I was a full-time education director for a Sylvan Learning Center at this time and was entitled to two weeks of vacation each year. I had already used up one week for 2001, so the plan became to go for two weeks during 2002. Having the privilege of Sadie as my travel companion seemed a perfect choice.

Sadie’s husband, my brother, Garth, died of lung cancer in May of 2000. Garth had been a smoker since high school and try as he may, could never free himself of nicotine addiction. Sadie was now definitely open to adventure. She and my brother had started their own business over 30 years ago. They owned and operated the Flying C Wrecker Service of Tavenner’s Corner, New Mexico. After the painful loss of her (best friend) husband and the raising of eight great kids, Sadie was ripe for international exploration!

Sadie in New Mexico and I in Ohio made travel arrangements, saved our money and worked toward a two-week trip in May. Several weeks before our planned departure, Sadie’s son, Quentin, was diagnosed with a very serious, yet non-cancerous, brain tumor.

Quentin had just gotten engaged, lost his job and health insurance, and then found out he had a life-threatening brain tumor. Surgery was imminent so our trip to Peru was postponed for November of 2002. After a 12-hour surgery in early May, Quentin was given a favorable prognosis. He has lost hearing in his right ear, still works at swallowing comfortably, and needs to gain some weight . . . yet he and Felicia plan to marry in May of 2004. Q (as we often call him) has since bought a house and is back to working, (but still needs to gain some weight!)

So, after a six-month delay, Sadie and I made arrangements to meet in Houston and fly the same plane to Lima on November 15th. We would stay at Sr. Joseph Louise’s convent with two Peruvian sisters for about seven days of our trip and then travel throughout Peru for the other week. We planned to fly from Lima to Cuzco, the ancient Incan Capital of the Empire for several days. Here we would take a train to visit Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Inca nation. We also planned to fly to Puerto Maldonado where we could visit the Amazon River Basin and live in the primitive rainforest for three days.

From the very beginning I planned to write a book about these adventures. In 1996, I visited the country of France with two priests, a nurse and my friend, Nicholas Deliman. I came back from France and produced a book: France, 1996. (Available from Xlibris Publishing in Philadelphia, Amazon.com, any bookseller, or my webpage www.dutchink.com.). France, 1996 is a book about my two-week-long adventure in France during the summer of 1996. Peru, 2002 is a book about my two-week long adventure in Peru during our autumn and their spring of 2002.

Image388.JPG

Likeness of St. Rose of Lima.

INTRODUCTION

I already know this will not be like any travel book you have ever read before! You will come with me to Peru and learn about this magical blend of mysterious antiquity and contemporary culture. Join me as I explore and experience this remarkable nation during my two-week long adventure. I have barely skimmed the surface of what Peru has to offer, and I understand that. However, I want to write of my odyssey because it is just in me to tell a story.

The format of my book will be simple enough. At the beginning of each chapter I will share with you an educational lesson. Next, I tell you what I experienced that particular day. Finally, I close with a short story written by Sr. Joseph Louise Reichlin. I call her stories, Sr. Jo’s Vignette, and number them. Sr. Jo, generally, provided their respective titles. Currently, Sr. Jo is teaching English as a second language at Catholic University in Lima. She teaches in their Language Center. Sr. Jo has been in Peru for about three years now and occasionally e-mailed some of her observations to her friends while acclimating to their culture.

I chose Peru because Sr. Jo was there. I visited for only two weeks, so you might be asking, How is it you can write a book after a two-week stay? I don’t claim to be an authority, just an explorer. Sr. Jo has had ever so many more experiences of life in Peru than I. Although many of her short stories are actually letters that she e-mailed to friends back in the United States, others are taken from her personal Peruvian journals. I found her vignettes entertaining and informative. I hope you will as well. The purpose of this book is to hopefully somewhat educate and entertain. I am delighted that you are taking some of your precious time to join me. The reason I call this book Peru, 2002 is because that is the year I visited their homeland.

Image396.JPG

Government Palace and Lima Square.

CHAPTER ONE

GETTING READY FOR THE TRIP

Anticipation has always been part of the fun for any trip I have ever taken. I look forward to the experience. I also spend time preparing for the trip. For me, that means doing research, reading and learning about where I am headed. It means doing all I am able to do, making sure I have put the ducks in a row as much as possible; making sure I am prepared and that everything is in order.

During the summer of 2001, the idea came to me to visit Peru. Sr. Joseph Louise Reichlin, a Syracuse Franciscan sister from my hometown of Lorain has been a friend of mine since 1966. I once belonged to her religious order . . . for 18 years. After I left in 1984, Sr. Jo and I remained good friends. She has been teaching English as a second language to Peruvians at Catholic University in Lima for the past three years. I suggested I might come and visit her with my sister-in-law, Sadie Tavenner, of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sr. Jo liked the idea as much as I did.

So, at first we planned a May, 2002 trip. Three weeks before we were scheduled to leave, Sadie’s son, Quentin, was diagnosed as having a serious, non-cancerous brain tumor. Needless to say, our plans were postponed. After a very successful surgery, we restructured and rescheduled our trip.

Sadie and I probably prepared in similar ways. I went to the library and signed out videos about Peru. I watched them several times and took notes . . . trying to decide what experiences I could afford to have, what places I wanted to see while learning as much as I could about Peru.

A friend of mine from Syracuse, New York, Mary Ann Gladysz, when hearing I wanted to go to Peru, sent me a check for $50.00. I took the money to the local bookstore and bought copies of the Fodor’s, Nelles, and Discovery Pocket Guide’s book about Peru. They became and remain invaluable sources of information. I often read parts of them. The books helped me to better understand Peruvian culture and their people.

Sadie and I both went to websites such as [e-mail], www.promperu.org. We learned about the climate, weather expectations during our visit time and many other points of interest. One of the best things to happen was when Sr. Jo put us in touch with the niece of a Sister of Charity from Canada. Romina has a travel agency and would e-mail me suggested itineraries as Sadie and I planned our week in Lima. Romina helped us to plan and modify our adventures outside of Lima. With her we could discuss, by e-mail, our objectives and our budget. Romina did a wonderful job of informing us about the things all travelers should know about visiting Peru, such as what to bring, and what it could be like on the coast, in the Andean Mountains and in the Amazon River Basin. Romina’s website is [e-mail]

and I am happy to recommend her agency’s service because they did everything they could to facilitate our trip. I never met Romina because she was in London, England, while we were in Peru. However, we met her sister, Roxana Siv, and other marvelous employees of Highland Peru Tours. (E-mail: [e-mail]). )

Romina explained that we would need to bring a yellow fever inoculation certificate if we planned a trip into the jungle (selva). This meant both Sadie and I would need to visit local health departments and be advised of the health hazards of travelling in Peru. Much of this information is published by the National Center for Infectious Diseases at www.cdc.gov/travel/diseases. At this website, you need to select the part of the world you plan to visit and from there you will learn valuable information about what you should know before leaving home.

Sandra Nieves, the Lorain County public health nurse who advised me about all the precautions I should take, suggested certain medications and inoculations she would recommend. She really opened my eyes to the medical risks of visiting Peru. Like Romina, she drove home the importance of deet, insect protection, sunscreen, proper clothing, drinking only bottled liquids, cautious dining, etc. Sandra repeated herself, Boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it!

After almost an hour of consultation, Sandra let me decide on the medical decisions of what I wanted to do to protect myself. I chose to get the required yellow fever inoculation and treatments to prevent hepatitis, malaria and influenza. Sandra also told me the wisdom of visiting our local tuberculosis clinic before and after my trip, taking along medication for likely bouts of diarrhea, and the wisdom of getting a tetanus-diphtheria and measles booster shot. All of which I did.

I had no idea I would be spending $200.00 on preventive health measures before visiting Peru. It helped