For now, here’s a taste of what’s in store from the Monkey’s travels in China…

Beijing’s Tiananmen Square epitomizes the monumentality of several centuries of Chinese regimes, from the imperial splendor of the Forbidden City’s outer gates to the monolithic Stalinist structures of the Communists. Here, the Monkey has a look at the Tiananmen Gate—an entrance to the Forbidden City, festooned for years with a famous portrait of revolutionary leader Mao Tsetung—as cyclists whir past.

Does it even need to be captioned? The Great Wall of China is one of the world’s most iconic places. Stretching over 6400 kilometers and visible from space, the Great Wall—built beginning in the 5th Century BCE and refortified repeatedly right through the 16th Century CE—is the longest human-made structure in the world. Here, the Monkey hikes a stretch of the majestic wall between Jinshanling and Simatai, some 110 kilometers north of Beijing. A truly unforgettable experience.