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.

Hikers walk to reach the top of Naqba Rum area in South Sinai, Egypt, November 20, 2015. Bedouins in the "Sinai is Safe" group guided more than 100 hikers over a 25 km (15 mile) trek over the trails of the White Canyon and the Closed Canyon. The NGO aims to challenge mainstream perceptions of the area by encouraging Nile Valley residents to explore the untamed wilderness with the Bedouin tribes. (Photo by Asmaa Waguih/Reuters)

These hilarious images show dogs enjoying a day out exploring New York’s most iconic tourist hotspots Photographer Mark McQueen captured the canines hanging out near landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge, on 5th Avenue and Times Square. Here: Take my picture! Apartment dogs in the East Village are always happy to be out for a walk. (Photo by Mark McQueen/Caters News Agency)

A reveller is photographed during a traditional Maracatu carnival in Olinda, Brazil February 8, 2016. (Photo by Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters)

A glassmaker forms molten glass next to a furnace at Cespedes factory in Olocuilta, El Salvador February 8, 2017. (Photo by Jose Cabezas/Reuters)

A woman greets a street artist at the San Fermin festival in Pamplona, northern Spain July 8, 2016. (Photo by Eloy Alonso/Reuters)

Qian Hao's imported Pekingese dog, Mixiu, runs in a park in Beijing, China, February 8, 2018. (Photo by Thomas Peter/Reuters)