Bag lady Sharon Azanza’s travel fantasy: Coffee with Camus in Paris

Sharon Azanza is one lucky lady. She seldom realizes when play ends and work begins or when work becomes play.

She’s a manufacturer of hand-woven, hand-crafted, summer hand bags using local and indigenous materials. Her products, under the label Talimaya, are exported to Japan, the United States of America and Europe. They are sold in the better department stores and exclusive specialty shops.

Married to Fritz Azanza, a childhood boyfriend from her days at the International School in Manila, the mother of three – Daniela, Christophe and Samantha – Sharon readily admits, "My children relax and recharge me as long as I take them one by one, one on one. Otherwise having them all at one time will only result in chaos and stress. But there is always some quiet time spent alone, the massage that does wonders and Talimaya. Then there’s the beach property of my aunt Jojo Zabarte, which never fails to relax me, and let’s not forget travel. It opens my eyes, inspires me and enriches my soul."

Here are more travel anecdotes from the bag lady who deserves it all.

What do you remember most about your first trip abroad?

Together with my dad and mom, four siblings and our dear Inday, we visited several relatives residing all over America – New York, Virginia, Minnesota, Texas and California – and we had one reunion after another. Surprisingly, we attracted some relatives to join our visiting group as we moved from state to state. So everytime dad would finish with checking in over 20 pieces of luggage, the very patient fellow travelers would sigh in relief, applaud and cheer.

What won’t you leave home without?

I always have my Daily Bread meditation book and my rosary blessed by the Pope and given by my present mother-in-law in 1987, the first year I was dating my husband. I also carry a camera, Lip Salve and a tape measure – just in case I see a bag with excellent proportions. And whenever I travel without my husband and the children, I bring photographs of each one of them.

Other than members of your family, who would you like to be seated next to on a flight?

On a short flight, I’d like to be seated next to Deepak Chopra so I can ask him philosophical questions. On a long flight, I’d prefer an empty seat beside me!

How do you pass time at airports?

I am an absolute magazine junkie. I love shopping for magazines at airports because they have a vast selection from different countries. You should see my hand-carry bag. My poor back suffers.

Name your favorite city abroad.

Paris, for sentimental reasons. I lived and attended university there. I first arrived as an 18-year-old child-woman and left a 20-year-old all-woman. It is the city I most connect with, from its history to culture, from its art to fashion, to its café-lounging!

What is the first thing you do upon checking in at a hotel?

I take a long hot shower. Ring up housekeeping and request for extra pillows.

What would you consider a must-do activity in every foreign city that you visit?

I carefully plan the restaurants I go to since a highlight of each trip is always to experience memorable meals. I check the latest Michelin guidebooks for recommendations. I compare notes with friends who travel and adore food. For the last few years, I make it a point to go to the nearest church and light a candle.

Let’s talk favorites now. Favorite hotel?

The Maria Cristina Hotel in San Sebastian, Spain. In 1991, my cousin Anthony Kierulf came to Paris for a visit. Joined by Fritz, who was then my boyfriend, we opted for a quasi-budget trip since we were all college students. We avoided anything close to luxury, including staying in fancy hotels. At the end of our two weeks, which took us from Paris to Cote d’ Azur, the Costa Brava and then to northern Spain, we were all very tired. We decided we all deserved a treat. We honestly felt we wanted to be pampered. So we immediately checked into the elegant Maria Cristina. It has an impressive lobby, antique pieces of furniture, rich velvet draperies and the kind of personalized service that books talk about and guests only dream of. The stay brought back my weary body and my wandering soul together again after the rough-it-up car trip.

Favorite resort?

Since I go to the beach on weekends, my travels are not resort-oriented. My favorite "resort-like setting" is my aunt Jojo’s place by the sea, Talimaya, the name of the bag company I manage. It is my favorite place to unwind and spend quality time with my husband and the kids. Though it is a private home, I liken it to a resort as I feel I am away from it all.

Favorite museum?

I have a difficult time deciding between the Musee d’ Orsay in the Seventh Arrondisement and the Picasso Museum in the Marais district – both in Paris.

If you could take home a piece of art, what would it be?

I would love to have Rodin’s sculpture "The Thinker" in my garden. The stillness of the pose is so powerful. I find it a very inspiring piece of art.

Favorite landmark?

The Eiffel Tower of my old neighborhood where I walked my bulldogs in the evening.

Favorite building?

The buildings of the Louvre, with the architectural contrast of I.M. Pei’s glass pyramids. Truly a masterful combination.

Favorite park?

I never fail to visit Central Park whenever I am in New York. It has become a part of my life that I have cherished through the years. It all began during my younger days with the games we played in the open spaces. I recall the things we used to do with my sister Christine who was a resident New Yorker, the long Sunday walks with Fritz, and the various shows. How can I forget my trips to the zoo with my eldest daughter Daniela who adored the polar bears?

Recently, I had my three children for company at the park every day for two weeks. They have learned to love the place. And the cycle goes on.

Favorite musical?

A Broadway adaptation of Don Quixote’s Man from La Mancha. I was totally mesmerized by Raul Julia and Sheena Easton.

Favorite store?

Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan. They are able to successfully gather the very best items which they showcase. It’s such a classy store that it inspires me to create better bags at home.

What do you miss most when you’re away from home?

My bed with six pillows. If I am on a business trip, my three adorable children.

What is the best travel advice you can share?

Get an excellent guidebook and read up on your trip way before departure. Jot down the places of interest you wish to visit. Make reservations at restaurants soon upon arrival. Do take some time out to sit at an outdoor café to people- watch. It is the best way to soak up the city.

Describe your most memorable trip.

Just one? Almost an impossibility! If I must, it would be the most recent trip to the US with my husband Fritz, aunt Jojo and the three kids. It was memorable because it was the realization of a long-awaited dream to take the kids on an action-packed, theme park, family-oriented all-American vacation. You should have seen the expression on their faces.

What is the strangest thing you have done on a trip?

I chased a guy for four blocks and down the Metro in Paris after he snatched my cell phone from my hand while I was busy texting, waiting for my crepes. I was hysterical and screaming all the way. The reaction was pure instinct. Only later did I realize how silly it was to run after a petty criminal leaving my purse and all the other purchases in the street all because of the phone numbers I had stored in it. Thank God the crepes stand owner watched over my bags.

Who would you like to bump into – dead or alive – during your travels?

I would love to spend hours in discussion with someone who has strong existentialist views like Albert Camus. The venue? A Parisian cafe.

Name an event anywhere in the world you would like to participate in.

A parade like the one I experienced on the streets of Manhattan to celebrate America’s Gulf War victory. Perhaps when the Abu Sayyafs are finally "pulverized," as our President likes to say, then maybe we can have a similar victory parade down Ayala Avenue.

If you could enforce one law to the fullest, what would it be?

The law against corruption and sentencing the guilty to jail regardless of who they are. All we need is one inspiring, altruistic, courageous leader for implementation.

Let’s fill in the blanks. "Where in the world...only in the Philippines?

Where in the world, do we find trucks on the highways at night without any tail lights waiting for tragic accidents to happen? It mortifies me.

"If I had more time I would..."

Take the Orient Express with my husband, visit Provence at least once a year and go on a South African safari with my kids.

What are your pasalubongs–inbound and outbound?

Outbound–my Talimaya handbags for my girlfriends. Inbound–usually food. Depending on the country, it could be cheeses, steaks, foie gras, herbs and spices.

Aside from unpacking your suitcase, what is the first thing you do upon returning home?

Days prior to my returning home, I start to imagine and even relish in my mind the massage I would soon have.

Name a city you have never visited but would like to someday.

Marrakesh.

Name a country you wish to explore.

Tibet and the region that borders the Himalayas.

What would you say is the best part of travel?

Two things. On a more basic level, travel offers an escape from the routine. On a deeper plane, it gratifies the soul.

If you could be transported anywhere in the world right now, where would you like to be?

In a charming summer home complete with a pool in Provence with my family.

If you could reside anywhere in the world aside from the Philippines, where would it be?

Paris. And I have enough reasons to last a lifetime!