Here's A Bunch Of Pictures Of Fidel Castro Chilling In New York City

Before he was the repressive dictator scorned by the American public, he was just another tourist.

One of the side effects of the travel ban on Cuba, parts of which were modified on Wednesday, is that former Cuban premier Fidel Castro hasn't been able to visit the country outside of trips to the United Nations in decades.

But he wasn't always a repressive dictator scorned by the American public. In fact, just four months after his takeover of Cuba in 1959, Castro visited New York City. And he had an awesome time.

This is Castro being invited to the New York Press Photographer's Ball.

This is Castro hugging some adorable children at the Bronx Zoo.

This is Fidel Castro eating ice cream on the Bronx Zoo train.

This is Fidel Castro eating an all-American hot dog, also at the Bronx Zoo.

This is Fidel Castro feeding elephants at the Bronx Zoo. He really likes the zoo.

This is Fidel Castro signing an autograph for 19-year old Gladys Feijoo, receiving a kiss in turn.

This is Fidel Castro with a bunch of children wearing beards.

This is Castro having dinner in Harlem.

He also visited Washington, DC during that trip. This is Castro addressing the American Society of Newspaper Editors during a meeting.

But don't worry, he made it back to New York the next year. This is Fidel Castro shaking hands with Egyptian president Gamal Abdul Nasser after a meeting with him in 1960.

BONUS: This is Fidel Castro being a stone cold fox during a visit in 1955.

In case you've forgotten, 55 years, several assassination attempts, and numerous years of denouncing America — which he once called "a vulture...feeding on humanity" – this is what he looks like now.

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