@myniceromania.bsky.social
Freelance Tour Guide in Bucharest ENG/SP
Pinned
Hello! My name is Elena. I am a freelance local #guide in #Bucharest. I focus my work on off the beaten path #tours and I am passionate about understanding the #history of Romania's totalitarian regimes. I guide full-time and sometimes I write on my blogs. I speak English, Spanish and Romanian :-)
I am not sure what the future of my tours is. I am not sure what the future of tourism is in these violent times.
But if you are planning to visit Bucharest soon I hope you join me for an off the beaten path experience that keeps the memory of the victims of totalitarianism
But if you are planning to visit Bucharest soon I hope you join me for an off the beaten path experience that keeps the memory of the victims of totalitarianism
January 13, 2026 at 3:16 PM
I am not sure what the future of my tours is. I am not sure what the future of tourism is in these violent times.
But if you are planning to visit Bucharest soon I hope you join me for an off the beaten path experience that keeps the memory of the victims of totalitarianism
But if you are planning to visit Bucharest soon I hope you join me for an off the beaten path experience that keeps the memory of the victims of totalitarianism
Commemorative stamp for Romania's first communist dictator, Gh. Gheorghiu-Dej, printed by the Romanian Postal Service one year after his death. His totalitarian regime was imposed after World War II with the support of the Soviet Union, helping the Kremlin control its "backyard"
#cultofpersonality
#cultofpersonality
January 12, 2026 at 11:51 AM
Commemorative stamp for Romania's first communist dictator, Gh. Gheorghiu-Dej, printed by the Romanian Postal Service one year after his death. His totalitarian regime was imposed after World War II with the support of the Soviet Union, helping the Kremlin control its "backyard"
#cultofpersonality
#cultofpersonality
The cult of personality. From the totalitarian playbook.
Closer view of Trump's pin of himself that he was wearing today
(Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty)
(Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty)
January 10, 2026 at 10:13 AM
The cult of personality. From the totalitarian playbook.
This week's announcement by Romanian "patriot" politicians. You should know they are very vocal about how much they admire Donald J. Trump
They also admire national Romanian heroes (their words, not mine): communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and fascist dictator Ion Antonescu. Interesting combo.
They also admire national Romanian heroes (their words, not mine): communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and fascist dictator Ion Antonescu. Interesting combo.
January 8, 2026 at 7:22 AM
This week's announcement by Romanian "patriot" politicians. You should know they are very vocal about how much they admire Donald J. Trump
They also admire national Romanian heroes (their words, not mine): communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and fascist dictator Ion Antonescu. Interesting combo.
They also admire national Romanian heroes (their words, not mine): communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and fascist dictator Ion Antonescu. Interesting combo.
At this link you can find a great concise article by Romanian-American scholar Vladimir Tismaneanu, written in February of 1990, about how Romanian dictator Ceausescu was betrayed by his own bootlickers, who had built his narcissist cult of personality until 1989
files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED3...
files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED3...
January 7, 2026 at 7:37 AM
At this link you can find a great concise article by Romanian-American scholar Vladimir Tismaneanu, written in February of 1990, about how Romanian dictator Ceausescu was betrayed by his own bootlickers, who had built his narcissist cult of personality until 1989
files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED3...
files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED3...
Happy New Year from a frozen Bucharest!
📍 Carol Park
📍 Carol Park
January 1, 2026 at 11:58 AM
Happy New Year from a frozen Bucharest!
📍 Carol Park
📍 Carol Park
My last tour of 2025: talking to my guests from the UK and the US about Nicolae Ceausescu's last speech from this balcony, the end of the Golden Age, the end of Romania being ruled by an uneducated narcissistic dictator.
Revolution Square, Bucharest
#traveloffthebeatenpath
Revolution Square, Bucharest
#traveloffthebeatenpath
December 31, 2025 at 2:41 PM
My last tour of 2025: talking to my guests from the UK and the US about Nicolae Ceausescu's last speech from this balcony, the end of the Golden Age, the end of Romania being ruled by an uneducated narcissistic dictator.
Revolution Square, Bucharest
#traveloffthebeatenpath
Revolution Square, Bucharest
#traveloffthebeatenpath
This month's article on my blog
(Español en los comentarios)
myniceromania.wordpress.com/2025/12/28/h...
(Español en los comentarios)
myniceromania.wordpress.com/2025/12/28/h...
Here they died for liberty
As nostalgia for Nicolae Ceausescu’s Golden Age is growing in Romania it is important to remember history. The ultranationalist dictator is idealized by both the young people who never were taught …
myniceromania.wordpress.com
December 28, 2025 at 8:50 AM
This month's article on my blog
(Español en los comentarios)
myniceromania.wordpress.com/2025/12/28/h...
(Español en los comentarios)
myniceromania.wordpress.com/2025/12/28/h...
Talking to my last visitors from the US:
"It's been a hard year, I am not quite in the holiday spirit"
"We can relate."
Sending good wishes from Bucharest!🎄
"It's been a hard year, I am not quite in the holiday spirit"
"We can relate."
Sending good wishes from Bucharest!🎄
December 24, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Talking to my last visitors from the US:
"It's been a hard year, I am not quite in the holiday spirit"
"We can relate."
Sending good wishes from Bucharest!🎄
"It's been a hard year, I am not quite in the holiday spirit"
"We can relate."
Sending good wishes from Bucharest!🎄
KM 0 of democracy in Bucharest. Here they died for liberty the night of 21-22 of December 1989.
Dictator Ceausescu treated Romanians protesting against him as domestic terrorists and ordered the military to use lethal force against citizens.
We will not forget you. Art by "the.blood.stained.hand"
Dictator Ceausescu treated Romanians protesting against him as domestic terrorists and ordered the military to use lethal force against citizens.
We will not forget you. Art by "the.blood.stained.hand"
December 21, 2025 at 7:17 PM
KM 0 of democracy in Bucharest. Here they died for liberty the night of 21-22 of December 1989.
Dictator Ceausescu treated Romanians protesting against him as domestic terrorists and ordered the military to use lethal force against citizens.
We will not forget you. Art by "the.blood.stained.hand"
Dictator Ceausescu treated Romanians protesting against him as domestic terrorists and ordered the military to use lethal force against citizens.
We will not forget you. Art by "the.blood.stained.hand"
Tonight I joined other locals in Bucharest to light a candle in memory of the Heroes of the Revolution against Nicolae Ceausescu, in December of 1989.
Revolution Square in the light of liberty from a totalitarian regime.
Revolution Square in the light of liberty from a totalitarian regime.
December 20, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Tonight I joined other locals in Bucharest to light a candle in memory of the Heroes of the Revolution against Nicolae Ceausescu, in December of 1989.
Revolution Square in the light of liberty from a totalitarian regime.
Revolution Square in the light of liberty from a totalitarian regime.
Golden Age of Romania - patriotic games were created by dictator Ceaușescu. Starting 1977 grandiose sports events were held nationwide, with the participation of the youth and the working class.
The name "Daciada" refers to the origins of Romania, playing off Ceaușescu's ultranationalist propaganda.
The name "Daciada" refers to the origins of Romania, playing off Ceaușescu's ultranationalist propaganda.
December 19, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Golden Age of Romania - patriotic games were created by dictator Ceaușescu. Starting 1977 grandiose sports events were held nationwide, with the participation of the youth and the working class.
The name "Daciada" refers to the origins of Romania, playing off Ceaușescu's ultranationalist propaganda.
The name "Daciada" refers to the origins of Romania, playing off Ceaușescu's ultranationalist propaganda.
As he kept building the People's House, with a gold-leaf decorated ballroom, Nicolae Ceausescu decided Romanians in
the 1980s could live with less.
Austerity measures included hot water - 2 h on Tue & Thu,
5 h on Wed, Sat, Sun, and 0 on Mon & Fri. (The maximum allowed, not necessarily available)
the 1980s could live with less.
Austerity measures included hot water - 2 h on Tue & Thu,
5 h on Wed, Sat, Sun, and 0 on Mon & Fri. (The maximum allowed, not necessarily available)
December 10, 2025 at 5:15 PM
As he kept building the People's House, with a gold-leaf decorated ballroom, Nicolae Ceausescu decided Romanians in
the 1980s could live with less.
Austerity measures included hot water - 2 h on Tue & Thu,
5 h on Wed, Sat, Sun, and 0 on Mon & Fri. (The maximum allowed, not necessarily available)
the 1980s could live with less.
Austerity measures included hot water - 2 h on Tue & Thu,
5 h on Wed, Sat, Sun, and 0 on Mon & Fri. (The maximum allowed, not necessarily available)
My tourists from the US 5 minutes into our tour about totalitarian history:
"So what do Romanians think about Donald Trump?"
Me: "It depends who you ask"
Them: "Same in the US"
Then we continued our conversation about Nicolae Ceausescu's Golden Age
📍Bucharest
#slowtourism
"So what do Romanians think about Donald Trump?"
Me: "It depends who you ask"
Them: "Same in the US"
Then we continued our conversation about Nicolae Ceausescu's Golden Age
📍Bucharest
#slowtourism
December 6, 2025 at 6:47 PM
My tourists from the US 5 minutes into our tour about totalitarian history:
"So what do Romanians think about Donald Trump?"
Me: "It depends who you ask"
Them: "Same in the US"
Then we continued our conversation about Nicolae Ceausescu's Golden Age
📍Bucharest
#slowtourism
"So what do Romanians think about Donald Trump?"
Me: "It depends who you ask"
Them: "Same in the US"
Then we continued our conversation about Nicolae Ceausescu's Golden Age
📍Bucharest
#slowtourism
My last tourists from the US did their research about the totalitarian history of Romania. They even knew about Ceausescu's push to control the population by decree in 1966 punishing childless adults over 25 with an extra 10-20% tax based on their income. The government deciding when you have kids.
December 3, 2025 at 2:46 PM
My last tourists from the US did their research about the totalitarian history of Romania. They even knew about Ceausescu's push to control the population by decree in 1966 punishing childless adults over 25 with an extra 10-20% tax based on their income. The government deciding when you have kids.
This month's article on my blog: The new taste of Obor Market
(Spanish version in comments)
myniceromania.wordpress.com/2025/11/30/t...
(Spanish version in comments)
myniceromania.wordpress.com/2025/11/30/t...
The new taste of Obor Market
This November my blog marks its 10th anniversary. And that has had me somewhat nostalgic, looking back at the time that has passed, how different the world is now, how travel has changed, how I’ve …
myniceromania.wordpress.com
November 30, 2025 at 3:33 PM
This month's article on my blog: The new taste of Obor Market
(Spanish version in comments)
myniceromania.wordpress.com/2025/11/30/t...
(Spanish version in comments)
myniceromania.wordpress.com/2025/11/30/t...
I do not offer Black Friday discounts, and I do not guide tours from Bucharest to "Dracula's castle". But if you are planning a visit soon to Bucharest and enjoy city tours full of contrasts and an honest conversation about totalitarian history, hit me up.
#officialguide #traveloffthebeatenpath
#officialguide #traveloffthebeatenpath
November 28, 2025 at 9:14 AM
I do not offer Black Friday discounts, and I do not guide tours from Bucharest to "Dracula's castle". But if you are planning a visit soon to Bucharest and enjoy city tours full of contrasts and an honest conversation about totalitarian history, hit me up.
#officialguide #traveloffthebeatenpath
#officialguide #traveloffthebeatenpath
Golden Age for me, not for thee...
Talking to my guests from Norway about the totalitarian regime in Bucharest that had people queuing up for food as dear leader Ceausescu sat on his toilet looking as his bathroom decorated with gold leaf.
Corruption meets an exaggerated sense of self-importance.
Talking to my guests from Norway about the totalitarian regime in Bucharest that had people queuing up for food as dear leader Ceausescu sat on his toilet looking as his bathroom decorated with gold leaf.
Corruption meets an exaggerated sense of self-importance.
November 14, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Golden Age for me, not for thee...
Talking to my guests from Norway about the totalitarian regime in Bucharest that had people queuing up for food as dear leader Ceausescu sat on his toilet looking as his bathroom decorated with gold leaf.
Corruption meets an exaggerated sense of self-importance.
Talking to my guests from Norway about the totalitarian regime in Bucharest that had people queuing up for food as dear leader Ceausescu sat on his toilet looking as his bathroom decorated with gold leaf.
Corruption meets an exaggerated sense of self-importance.
"Liberty will not be handed to us on a platter, we will win it with our blood", said Luiza. One day later, on 21.12.1989, at Dalles Hall, Luiza made the ultimate sacrifice. "Do not run, they won't shoot, they can't kill us all!", but one bullet ended her revolution. Cemetery of the Heroes, Bucharest
November 2, 2025 at 1:40 PM
"Liberty will not be handed to us on a platter, we will win it with our blood", said Luiza. One day later, on 21.12.1989, at Dalles Hall, Luiza made the ultimate sacrifice. "Do not run, they won't shoot, they can't kill us all!", but one bullet ended her revolution. Cemetery of the Heroes, Bucharest
My tourist from the US yesterday showed me an old phone she bought only for her holiday and told me she was staying off social media during her trip as she was afraid of getting investigated re-entering the US.
People afraid of their government is what I discuss on my tours of dictators in Romania
People afraid of their government is what I discuss on my tours of dictators in Romania
October 30, 2025 at 8:28 AM
My tourist from the US yesterday showed me an old phone she bought only for her holiday and told me she was staying off social media during her trip as she was afraid of getting investigated re-entering the US.
People afraid of their government is what I discuss on my tours of dictators in Romania
People afraid of their government is what I discuss on my tours of dictators in Romania
Legal foreign workers coming from Nepal and Bangladesh to work in delivery in Romania have become the target of verbal and physical attacks by Romanian citizens and politicians.
3 million Romanians are working legally in other EU countries.
Street art in Bucharest by artist "The blood stained hand"
3 million Romanians are working legally in other EU countries.
Street art in Bucharest by artist "The blood stained hand"
October 30, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Legal foreign workers coming from Nepal and Bangladesh to work in delivery in Romania have become the target of verbal and physical attacks by Romanian citizens and politicians.
3 million Romanians are working legally in other EU countries.
Street art in Bucharest by artist "The blood stained hand"
3 million Romanians are working legally in other EU countries.
Street art in Bucharest by artist "The blood stained hand"
This generation in high-school in Romania is the first to get more education about our history of fascism and communism.
My tourist from Germany wondered if it will help... because they taught history in Germany and yet that has not stopped people being openly neo-nazi in 2025.
But we have to try.
My tourist from Germany wondered if it will help... because they taught history in Germany and yet that has not stopped people being openly neo-nazi in 2025.
But we have to try.
October 28, 2025 at 8:12 AM
This generation in high-school in Romania is the first to get more education about our history of fascism and communism.
My tourist from Germany wondered if it will help... because they taught history in Germany and yet that has not stopped people being openly neo-nazi in 2025.
But we have to try.
My tourist from Germany wondered if it will help... because they taught history in Germany and yet that has not stopped people being openly neo-nazi in 2025.
But we have to try.
This week in Bucharest: The inauguration of the National Cathedral, the biggest orthodox church in the world.
October 26, 2025 at 8:19 PM
This week in Bucharest: The inauguration of the National Cathedral, the biggest orthodox church in the world.
Megalomaniac delusion. As people were queuing up for food, Ceausescu was decorating the ballroom of the People's House in Bucharest with marble and gold leaf. A corrupt tyrant and his enablers destroying Romania until 1989.
My tourists today - from the US - were worried about history repeating.
My tourists today - from the US - were worried about history repeating.
October 25, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Megalomaniac delusion. As people were queuing up for food, Ceausescu was decorating the ballroom of the People's House in Bucharest with marble and gold leaf. A corrupt tyrant and his enablers destroying Romania until 1989.
My tourists today - from the US - were worried about history repeating.
My tourists today - from the US - were worried about history repeating.