I went to Chengde on a survey trip for an update of my film on China for Disney's EPCOT Center. I wasn't able to film there for the original film ("Wonders of China") and we simply didn't have enough room to fit it into the updated film either, but that doesn't mean the locale isn't spectacular. I ran into an old man in the park who was a retired school teacher and he volunteered to be my guide. He was a wonderful source of local information and could not have been more open and friendly. I've exchanged a number of letters with him since then and hope to look him up when I return to Chengde in the autumn of 2006 for a new filming assignment.