Maren Dil Hossain, of Café Müller, is not just another nice ?restaurateur? with a friendly, beaming face. Her hospitality is special. The sign-board on Royal Road, Grand-Bay, just like the well-kept verdant garden, cosy terrace and charming tearoom all welcome the eyes of the visitor. In an open, clean and cordial atmosphere, comfortably seated among a collection of pottery, you will soon have a confirmation of that authentic hospitality with the typical delights served : Latte Macciato Kaffee ? Apfelstrudel ? Here is a taste of Germany.

Maren has a long experience of tourism and hospitality. Born Müller in Dessau, a few kilometers south of Berlin, she has known the austere times of the German Democratic Republic. Though this past seems very far away now, she has imortalised five German towns in her choice of breakfasts, associating her menus with Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt and? Dessau.

Anyway, feeling at home is not a problem. The Kaffee is on the ground-floor, and she lives upstairs with husband Kadam, their two children, aged 3 and 6, and Mizie, the cat! ?I had to find a practical solution when I became pregnant. So I left the Club Med, where I had worked since 1998, to begin my own business.? Kadam was a colleague at the hotel.

The place is also a perfect setting for special meetings between German-speaking expats. At times, students of German like to practise the language there. The deep blue pottery displayed is the result of another encounter : the lady who makes them has become a regular.

?In Germany, people have tea or coffee at 3 pm accompanied by cakes. But here we do all we can to satisfy our clients all day long.? Since its opening in November 2003, Maren and Kadam?s café has become increasingly popular, notably at noon, when many Mauritians come for lunch. And there is certainly no language-barrier for Maren. Originally trained as a Russian and French teacher and having worked for the European Union, she is also fluent in English and can communicate in Creole?

As Maren is very knowledgeable about tourism resources, Germans often use her café as a small tourist office. One can find a bookcase full of guides, maps, magazines? all in German. And she also acts a tourist guide from time to time. As soon as she became

involved in the tourist business, Maren travelled a lot. ?I have spent time in Ivory Coast and in other parts of the world. Before arriving in Mauritius, I was in Guadeloupe.? Though it is also tropical, there could not be a more striking contrast with our country. ?There people are somewhat aggressive. I was really surprised when I discovered Mauritian hospitality.?

Did she expect so much? Admittedly she was already familiar with Mauritius. There had always been a small link. ?In East Germany, we could not travel. But there was the story of the Blue Penny. That?s a thing all little Germans learn at school!?

Jake NICHOLSON