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A small town in Australia has been making headline news over the past few weeks, as it celebrated its centenary early in April.
But, what's the big deal? Little towns turn 100 (and older) all the time... what makes Coober Pedy so special?
Well, lots actually.
News reports and travelogues all agree on one thing - this must be one of the strangest towns in the world, as at least half of the houses are located underground.
The quaint village was established back in 1915 when a 14-year-old boy stumbled upon a beautifully, shiny piece of rock in this remote area of the Australian outback. It turned out to be the semi-precious stone, opal, and within a year the area experienced an influx of eager miners from the furthest reaches of the continent.
Now, it's not unusual for towns to form around mining activities, however, building your homes underground too? That's pretty weird!
However, when you consider the harsh summer climate in the Outback, it makes perfect sense that many of the residents have preferred to hole themselves up in cool and moist 'dugout' caves, rather than white-picket-fenced homes.
Apart from fully functional underground homes, the town also has an array of subterranean churches, an art gallery and a couple of shops. Above ground you will find the world's hottest golf course that has a very ironic sign, warning golfers to keep off the (non-existent) grass.
So, since Coober Pedy has been crossing our paths in various centenary-related articles over the past few days, we decided to check out a few other strange towns around the world:
Kandovan, Iran
Sticking with cave-dwellings, Kandovan in Iran is a fairy landscape of natural-shaped castles, similar to the more famous Cappadocia in Turkey. Known as 'karaans' these unique homes were excavated into volcanic rocks and date back to ancient times. Surprisingly they are still inhabited till this day - in a 2006 census the village population was 601 individuals, and 168 families.
Miyake-Jima Island, Japan
If you thought load shedding was bad, spare a thought for the poor residents of Miyake-Jima Island in Japan who are required to carry a gas mask with them at all times. Situated at the epicentre of major volcanic activity, with at least six eruptions in the past 100 years, the island can be enveloped in ash, sulphur and smoke at any moment. Despite a major eruption in 2000 and an evacuation order that lasted a full five years, residents streamed back to the island when the order was lifted in 2005. These days it is a major destination for what is known as 'gas mask tourism' and novelty masks are sold as mementos to travellers.
Thames Town, China
Just about 30km from central Shanghai, you will find an astounding slice of old England, known as Thames Town. The architecture is themed according to classic British market town styles, complete with cobbled streets, terraces and corner shops. While the houses sold out pretty quickly, most purchases were by relatively wealthy families who would keep their quaint Victorian home as a holiday or weekend breakaway spot, which means during most times of the year it's practically a ghost town. Despite this, work has started on a similar English-themed town near Beijing.
Slab City, US
If you want to know what it feels like to REALLY live off the grid, Slab City, located somewhere in the Colorado desert, should be on your bucket list. Affectionately known as 'the last free place in America,' Slab City is little more than a conglomeration of free spirits, hippies, hobos and, of course, ever curious observers biding their time in camper vans, RVs and caravans. The site is both decommissioned and uncontrolled, and there is no charge for parking. The camp has no electricity, no running water, no sewers nor toilets, and no trash pickup service. Many campers use generators or solar panels to generate electricity. Supplies can be purchased in nearby Niland, California, located about 6 km to the southwest of the town.
Chefchaouen, Morocco
This picturesque town in northeastern Morocco is a rather eye-catching site, with the buildings all painted various shades of blue. Apart from making for amazing photographs, the city is also popular among tourists for shopping, food and cannabis. Yup, that's right. This region is one of the main producers of cannabis in the region and hashish is sold all over town.
