You know who lives in a pineapple under the sea, but what about a man who lives in an amazing sand castle on a beach in Brazil?
Meet Marcio Mizael Matolias, who for 22 years has managed to evade the ridiculous rent of Rio de Janeiro by living in a home made out of sand.
Advert
Instead of going for one of the luxury apartments that line the streets of the pricey beach area, he's opted for the cunning DIY approach on the beach of Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Matolias is single and has no children, making this possibly the best bachelor pad in the world - and he's even got himself a crown, making him the king of his very own castle.
He's even happy to pose in front of his castle for tourists, putting on a proud, regal show, having been given the affectionate nickname of 'The King' by locals.
Advert
"I grew up in the Bay of Guanabara, I always lived on the beach," the 44-year-old told the Mirror.
"People pay exorbitant rents to live in front of the sea, I do not have bills and here I have a good life."
Unlike other sand sculptors on the beach, he's also already home by the time he's finished for the day - meaning he doesn't have to face a daily Tube or tram commute like the rest of us mere mortals.
The tiny space within the sandcastle is just three square metres, but there's plenty of space for all of his belongings, including a large number of books.
Advert
"It scares me to be inside a house, all tidy," Matolias said.
"I like this ephemeral side of things, so I don't become obsessed like others who say 'this is mine, mine'."
He also explained that if the castle did collapse, he can simply build another - he can even just pick another patch of beach, making him a bit of a hermit crab.
Advert
Apparently it's not always easy, as he has to keep watering the castle so that it doesn't dry out and collapse, Lavoixdunord.fr. Reports. He has also said that sometimes it gets extremely hot living on the beach, as you'd probably imagine.
"The sand holds all the heat, so sometimes at night I can not sleep here, I'll spend the night at a friend's house," he said.
However, he said he simply prefers it there, even if he has to lie outside by the sea. He wouldn't have it any other way - because when you get to wake up on a beach in Rio every day, why the hell would he?
Topics: rio, News, Weird, Brazil