With wide streets and little traffic, Daocheng has the feel of a frontier town. The bare mountains that ring this high plateau makes it look like some sacred sanctuary. There is indeed something magical about this town which seems to arise in the middle of nowhere. It makes one wonder if another stroke of magic would render this place non-existent. For many of the less romantic trekkers, this is simply the gateway to Yading. Some call it Aiden. Some call it Eden. Yes, there is even greater natural beauty ahead of us, but let’s not forget Daocheng and its nice, warm, Tibetan people.