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.

A reveller covered in paint takes part during the annual Cascamorras festival in Guadix, southern Spain September 9, 2015. The festival was inspired by a dispute between the town of Baza and Guadix over the possession of an icon of the Virgin of Piedad. The Cascamorras refers to representatives from Guadix, who were sent to Baza to recover the statue. As the Cascamorras had to stay perfectly clean to gain possession of the statue, Baza residents attempt to make them as “dirty” as possible. (Photo by Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters)

Riders perform during a freestyle motocross show at the EICMA exhibition motorcycle fair in Rho, outskirt of Milan, Italy, Thursday, November 7, 2024. (Photo by Luca Bruno/AP Photo)

Mary Earps, the English goalkeeper, with her wax lookalike at Madame Tussauds in London in the second decade of November 2024. (Photo by The Times)

Gold Rush, the cheerleaders for the San Francisco 49ers American football team, bring some sparkle of their own during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on December 12, 2024. (Photo by Cary Edmondson/Imagn Images/Reuters)

A Georgia Bulldogs dancer on the court during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second half at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia on January 11, 2025. (Photo by Dale Zanine/USA Today Sports)

Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter attend the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

A member falls as Team Kazakhstan competes during the women's team pursuit speed skating final at the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. (Photo by Aaron Favila/AP Photo)