Yuri Gagarin achieved legendary status when he became the first person to blast into space on April 12, 1961. He left Earth an ordinary pilot and returned an icon – in the Soviet Union he was worshipped like a rockstar.
After his glorious journey, the Soviet authorities immediately sent Gagarin “on tour” to 30 or so countries. He even had lunch with the Queen of England, Elisabeth II, and broke protocol by taking a photo with the monarch. The President of Egypt gave Gagarin the golden keys to the gates of Cairo and Alexandria, while in Havana Fidel Castro just hugged the hell out of him.
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