the smell past rice paddies, water buffaloes, what feels like another century. >> anthony: laos is a kind of place that could easily capture your heart, and not let you go. >> anthony: it's what you do, right? i mean, if you're thinking of a place to open a bar or a restaurant, you're gonna put it by the river. right? >> french guy: yeah, yes, yes. >> anthony: nice breeze, nice view. >> french guy: and you see lao, lao people, they come here during the afternoon. they have a drink. it's nice. >> french guy: perfect. >> anthony: more than a few people came here for vacation, and never went home like ben. >> anthony: so how long have you been in laos? >> french guy: in laos, oh, around 15 years. i haven't been back to france for a long time. >> anthony: when you first came here, what was it like?