Kylian Mbappe of France looks dejected on the bench after a penalty shoot out loss during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by Carl Recine/Reuters)

Japan's Riku Miura perform with Ryuichi Kihara, not seen, during the pairs free skating at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships at the Mokdong ice rink in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, February 21, 2025. (Photo by Lee Jin-man/AP Photo)

A participant in the Crazy Races extreme sports game competes in the cross-country obstacle race in Ufa, Russia on September 21, 2015. (Photo by TASS/Barcroft Media)

Only the most intrepid urban explorers cross the tattered ruins of the old Iron Curtain to endure the excessive bureaucracy, military paranoia and freezing winds of the East to hunt for the ghosts of an empire. Rebecca Litchfield is one who couldn’t resist the haunting allure of the ruins of the Soviet Union.

Thailand's Puttita Supajirakul is down on the court after a point during a women's doubles badminton match against the Netherlands at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 11, 2016. (Photo by Kin Cheung/AP Photo)

Honda MotoGP rider Dani Pedrosa (R) of Spain sprays champagne on an attendant next to Yamaha MotoGP rider Valentino Rossi (C) of Italy after winning the Japanese Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit in Motegi, north of Tokyo, Japan, October 11, 2015. Rossi placed second. (Photo by Issei Kato/Reuters)

Festival goers attend day one of the Parklife Festival at Heaton Park on June 9, 2018 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Mercury Press)

Tour guides wearing traditional Chinese dress practice smiling by biting chopsticks at Qingming Grand-River Park in Kaifeng, central China's Henan Province on March 2, 2017, aiming to provide better service for visitors. (Photo by IPA Asia via ZUMA Wire)