West Side Story; Taipei, Taiwan, Late 1960s

Using the west side of Chung Shan North Road, going south, you would eventually come upon a narrow alley which led back to the rear entrance of the Sea Dragon Club.  

Unless you were headed to the group of buildings known as Sugar Daddy Row, there would be little reason to use the west side of Chung Shan to walk to the south.  

However, Fu Shun Street was also on the west side which proved to be quite a great attraction for men on R and R as well as those stationed in and around Taipei.

Photo by Jack Hornbeck; courtesy of taipeiairstation,blogspot.com

This is a clever angle Jack took advantage of while standing on a traffic island and shooting south, toward the King's Hotel, seen in the distance.

There were many access roads which allowed cabs to drop people off and not be concerned about being hit by the heavy traffic.  

Looking at the picture above, Jack was standing almost parallel to the Sea Dragon Club located just about to his right.   

Note the gas station sign and the Ice Cream ad on the building.

Photo by S. Callas, linkounavy.com; courtesy of dawgflight.com

Taken from the east side of Chung Shan, this photo shows just the minor part of the gas station across the street.

Not only is the area of the old gas station shown in this picture, but new buildings constructed by the Tatung Corporation show the company's expanded presence.

This is the present day view of the gas station site on the west side of Chung Shan.  It is actually good sized area.  

Assuming that the first picture in this post was taken next to the front of the Sea Dragon Club, we see the back of the place as it appeared in 1969.  

This alley was back of the Sea Dragon Club and proceeded south and emptied onto Fu Shun Street.  

To follow Kent Mathieu's adventure to discover the old Sea Dragon site. click HERE.

Continuing Kent's stroll, which includes a new Burger King, click HERE.

Finally, ending up at the corner, click HERE.

Following the alley in the present day, the Tatung Corporation's new buildings dominate the area back of the old alley.  

This path stops at the intersection of Fu Shun Street and Chung Shan North Road. 

Whether this building has been around as long as its sign says is doubtful. However, its bright orange facade serves as  a point of reference.

From the east side of the road looking north, the orange building on the corner can  be  seen. 

From there on south is an uninterrupted string of commercial buildings.

Compare this last Google  Earth picture with the first picture in this post. Can you pick out the old King's Hotel location?

FINALLY

Photo courtesy of Marvin Faulkner

Does anyone else remember a free-standing ice cream parlor on the west side of Chung Shan North Road?  It was sort of set back from the other commercial establishments.  

It had an American name such as Baskin and Robbins or some other chain.  It seemed strange that it would be in the middle of Taipei.  

I am not sure exactly where it was located, but my guess is that it was not too far south of the West Compound.  

I am almost certain that it was not Foremost. Maybe the business was further south.