What does it feel like to be born in a most beautiful cultural metropolis, loaded at each corner with history, style and, above all, music. ?In Vienna, unlike other great cities, you can still breathe. While the architectural heritage from the Austro-Hungarian empire and the old time atmosphere has been left almost intact, the new buildings fit in with the old ones in quite a harmonious way.? Though he left this dream city for Italy at the age of 14, Mike Höfer, the general manager of Batimex Limited, has much of his native town : the (relatively) laid-back attitude, typical cosmopolitan mind and witty elegance.

So passing from the banks of the blue Danube to the relaxing shores of Flic-en-Flac, cannot have been too difficult? Yet, the differences are obvious. ?Mauritius, with only two or three centuries of settlement, is a young nation, recalling in a way countries like Australia or South Africa. Here history still has to be made.?

In fact, Mike knows Mauritius well, as he has been a regular visitor, on a professionnal basis for 21 years. Yet visiting is different from staying. ?The tourists are given the best of the country. Day-to-day reality does not rob the Mauritian way of life of its basic qualities, but, - may be it is an aspect of the fight for survival - it seems that many people on the roads have an arrogant and agressive style of driving. They act very selfishly.?

Mike Höfer does not make this comment as an ordinary road user. He, who drives daily to his place of work, in Louis Pasteur Street, in the very heart of Port-Louis, knows the regular lot of those trapped in the traffic jams. More significant still, having lived for 30 years in Italy, mainly Modena, the Mecca of Ferrari and car-racing lovers, he had time to pursue his childhood passion for this sport, which has never died away. ?We should at least organize ?good driving? tests,? he suggests to solve the problem of lack of courtesy on our roads.

Another more predictible trait of Mike?s affable temperament is perhaps his attachment to what we call entertainment - as demonstrated by that most Viennese of operettas, Johann Strauss? Die Fledermaus. Mike speaks of his old friend Martin Samudio, of Serge Lebrasse or Carl Allet, of Italian pianist Giorgio Bertacchini, of Gérard Ravat, ?that wonderful pianist? or other outstanding talents, such as Ernest Wiehé. A musician himself, he organised ?in the old days? some memorable jam sessions. Jazz, blues, swing are perhaps more familiar to him than the three-four time of the Waltz. It was also during a show that Mike met Mary Rose, a ballet dancer, in 1991. They speak Italian at home, Mike?s first adoptive language? Art definitely has no frontiers.

But Mike Höfer is not just a dreamer. As the newly appointed manager of Batimex, he has brought a new touch of life to this company. The recent refurbishment of the Louis Pasteur showroom has proved a success. ?Our aim is quality. The new showroom, which has maximized space and created a very comfortable atmosphere (it seems to be three time the size it was before), intends to display to our visitors the best ways our products can be used. Since its official launch last month, there have been considerable returns.?

And what about future projects? ?We are looking forward to offering franchising to small enterprises and to implanting ourselves outside Mauritius in nearby countries.?

Mike leaves us with the same cordiality that he has shown during the interview. Were it not for the limits imposed by work, one feels the conversation could have continued for hours...

Jack NICHOLSON