Thursday 9 April 2015

I have learned...

Yesterday I found a page with some quotes I had printed about 6 or more years ago... I am not sure who the exact author is, but I remember back then I was enlightened by these words. Now, after years of experience, I truly believe they are spot-on. There are thousands more I can add to this list, but today I will just share with you what I had on that page.

-        We are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

-        You can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

-        Your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

-        Credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

-        Either you control your attitude or it controls you.

-        You can keep going long after you think you can't.

-        No matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

-        You should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

-        Just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other, and just
because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

-        Just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.

-        Our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

-        Maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

-        You shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

-        Two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

Hope you enjoyed this quick read. Please share with me any quotes you come across that resonate with you. I would love to read them!
, Sana xx

Thursday 2 April 2015

Furious 7


 
Rating: ●●●○○

Certification: PG13

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Stars: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson

Director: James Wan

Running time: 140min

Alert: SOME SPOILERS

Synopsis: This movie is the 7th instalment of the Fast&Furious series. Deckard Shaw seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto and his family for his comatose brother.

Review: I feel terrible to give a negative review on this movie because I was a fan of Paul Walker, but it has to be done. This movie is so far removed from the Fast&Furious films I have come to love. It was an overdone, loser-Tom-Cruise-Mission-Impossible type of movie. I mean for the love of cars! They could have kept it action packed AND believable. Why make our favourite characters perform stunts that only a fantasy superhero could manage and also expect us to believe they can do it unscathed?!

The thrill and appeal of these movies has always been the convincing aspect that it could maybe, possibly happen in real life. But with this one, it’s all out the window for me.

Parachuting cars, men who defy the laws of gravity and driving through the top floor windows of three high rise buildings are amongst the many spectacles you will witness.

It’s gripping to watch but after a while the clichéd dialogue and one liners paired with the exaggerated, implausible action scenes make your eyes roll. The main villain could have been shot dead in the first scene- he was not made of steel. And I feel embarrassed for Dwayne Johnson and his cheesy parts!

The ONLY thing that saved this movie was the ending. Yes, the tear jerking tribute to Paul Walker. You can watch the music video for the song "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth from the film's soundtrack. It has clips from the previous F&F movies with a few shots from the new movie, including the film's final goodbye scene.

Here’s the link on Vin Diesel’s Facebook page: Tribute to Paul Walker

Although this movie was over the top, cringe worthy and dragged on for a bit too long, it’s entertaining and you won’t be bored. Give it a go.

Side note: After I watched the movie, I read up on it and found out the cars were actually dropped from planes (without any actors in it). It wasn’t CGI or any other special effects. That's definitely impressive!!

Paul Walker passed away half way through filming. By rewriting the script and with the aide of body doubles, Paul’s brothers, CGI effects and montages of previous scenes, the director was able to keep him in the movie. RIP Paul Walker.

, Sana xx

Wednesday 1 April 2015

Beauty and Household Tips: Banana Peels


Banana peels have a lot of beneficial qualities. Think twice before you toss them in the trash.
Of the many uses, these are my two favourites:
1) Teeth Whitener: the manganese, magnesium and potassium helps whiten the enamel of your teeth without wearing it down. Simply rub the inside of your banana peel against your freshly brushed teeth for about 2 minutes every day. I’ve seen immediate results with this. After a week you will have pearly whites!
2) Skin: Banana peels help with acne and dry skin. Rub the inside of a banana peel on your skin in a circular motion for 2 minutes. Wait as long as you can before rinsing your face. If rubbed on a bruise, it will aid in making it disappear.
 
 
Some other uses which I haven’t tried but are popular:
3) Shoe Polish: Lightly rub the inside part of a peel around your shoe and then buff it with a white cloth. I wonder if this makes your shoes smell funny? But I see it recommended often so probably not. The peel's potassium (a key ingredient in leather polish) will be absorbed into the leather and diminish scoff marks, leaving your shoes looking brand-new.
4) Itch Soother: Banana peels can help relieve bug bites and poison ivy. It won’t remove the oils that cause the itching but it’ll soothe the bite or rash altogether. The peels are full of polysaccharides, which will seep into skin cells to halt swelling and inflammation within minutes.
5) Meat tenderizer: Add a banana peel to your next roast and it’ll add just enough moisture to ensure that roast doesn’t get too dry. To grill a juicier piece of chicken breast, place a banana peel on top of each breast while cooking. The peel will create a barrier that acts like skin, helping the meat retain its natural juices. Again I have to wonder about the smell or flavour it will give the meat? Very strange... but often recommended.
6) Splinter Removal: Banana peels help ease splinters out of your skin. Place banana peel on a splinter with tape for a while and then try to ease the splinter out.
7) Good for plants: To keep away aphids, as a fertilizer, to feed roses and other plants and for compost.
8) Wart Cure: It only takes 1-2 weeks to remove a wart with a banana peel.
9) Anti-Depressant: Researchers have found that drinking boiled banana peel water (or juicing the peel) can ease depression.
10) Stop a scratched CD or DVD from skipping. If your favourite disc just won't play smoothly, fix it with a banana peel. Rub the back of the disc in a gentle circular motion with the inside of the peel. Wipe off any residue with a soft cloth, then lightly spray the disc with glass cleaner and buff it until it looks clean. The wax in the peel will fill in scratches without harming the plastic finish, so the disc can play sans skips. Going to try this!!
11) Swiftly lift ink stains from skin. Rub the white side onto the discoloured areas and watch the stains disappear. The natural oils in the peel will attract the oils in the ink, weakening the pigment's bond with the skin for easy removal.
 
There are many uses for fruit and vegetable peels. 90% of them are great for your skin. Take a few minutes to rub it on your face in a circular motion before throwing  away. Or blend for a natural homemade face mask.

Hope you benefit from this post.

, Sana xx
 

Thursday 26 March 2015

Insurgent




Rating: ●●●●○

Certification: PG13

Genre: Adventure, Sci-fi, Thriller, Action

Stars: Shailene Woodley, Kate Winslet, Theo James

Director: Robert Schwentke

Running time: 120min

Alert: NO SPOILERS

Synopsis: This movie is a sequel to Divergent (2014) and is part of a trilogy. Beatrice Prior must confront her inner demons and continue her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to tear her society apart with the help from others on her side.

Review: I thought this movie was great! This is coming from someone who hated the previous movie and thought it was an uninspiring rip-off of Hunger Games, Maze Runner and The Giver. I don’t know which book was written first but all I know is I was seeing too much of the same thing and Divergent was the lamest of them all.

But, after seeing the Insurgent trailer I thought I’d give it a go and was glad I did! This sequel kept me interested, involved and entertained. However I found Tris (Shailene Woodley) to be extremely annoying in the first half of the movie and I couldn’t wait till she got punched in the face or something.

The movie relied heavily on the suspense surrounding the box (what is it going to reveal???) and it turned out to be a silly revelation- almost identical to The Maze Runner and The Giver. But it still made for a very enjoyable film with really good CGI and special effects.

The ratings on Rotten Tomatoes are very low, not sure why. I think people who are fans of the book were disappointed with the movie. I haven’t read any of them so I can’t comment.

Side note: The author of this book, Veronica Roth, is so young! Good for her. But I am starting to wonder how her books became a best seller when it’s almost identical to so many others released before it. A budding author myself, I strive to come up with ideas that are unique and original. I wouldn’t ride the coat tails of other people’s hard work- at least not in this undistinguishable manner.

, Sana xx

Monday 16 March 2015

Chappie





Rating: ●●●●○

Certification: Violence, Language

 Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller and if you’re South African: Comedy

Stars: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Sigourney Weaver, Hugh Jackman

Director: Neill Blomkamp

Running time: 120 min

 Alert: NO SPOILERS

Synopsis: In the near future, crime is patrolled by a mechanized police force. When one police droid, Chappie, is stolen and given new programming, he becomes the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself.

Review: The concept of artificial intelligence isn’t a new one. Neither is the idea of downloading your thoughts and memories into a computer/robot and living forever as a machine. I heard Ross talk about it in Season 6 of Friends and just the other day Dr. Daniel Pierce explored the concept in Perception. It has been used in many sci-fi films and now it’s the theme of South African director Neill Blomkamp’s latest movie.

I want to start off by saying the bad ratings this film is getting online is totally unjustified. This movie was really interesting and the CGI was fantastic. I must admit the trailer is very deceiving (what is up with that nowadays?). It portrays the movie to be a full on action, violent, warlike film which isn’t my cup of tea. I sort of dragged myself to watch it because I am South African and felt patriotic.

I’m so glad I did! The story is set in the not-so-distant future where police robots successfully serve and protect the city of Johannesburg. The engineer who designed these robots, aspires to create a model that can think for itself, but he's barred from doing so by his chilly boss. He creates the robot anyway and thus our lead character Chappie is born. Most of the film is about Chappie’s journey and transformation from child to killing machine. There are some gory action scenes towards the end but otherwise the movie is pretty tame.

Some reviewers claim you don’t feel any emotional attachment to Chappie but I certainly did. There’s a scene with him and a few rogue kids that made me want to cry. By the way, I thought comedian Riaad Moosa voiced the Chappie character but it’s actually Sharlto Copley.

It’s a serious movie with a bit of easy humour and I found myself laughing a lot. To be totally honest I laughed at the accents and some of the bad acting (Hello Brandon Auret) more than the actual jokes. It might have annoyed other movie goers but it made it enjoyable for me! All in all the film is seamlessly executed. Ignore the other ratings and give it a go!

Side Note: The only criticism I have is the director and writers had a chance to shed light on the violent and terrifying crime in South Africa and perhaps start a movement against it. I don’t want to emphasise the negative aspects of my country, but this is a matter close to my heart. Our beautiful city of Johannesburg is becoming a metropolis of horror and the government are doing zilch about it. They benefit from crime and corruption, so turn a blind eye to it, whilst our thriving town withers away. The way lawbreakers and felons are portrayed in the movie is almost a joke. The kind and dim-witted villains are nothing like the heartless, shameless, impudent, aggressive, extreme criminals we face in reality. We are a happy, friendly, flourishing nation but we live in constant fear for our lives and the lives of our loved ones. We imprison ourselves in our homes and offices, always armed and always aware. Children don’t play in the streets or the parks like we used to when we were younger. We don’t even realise how much we have adapted our lifestyles to be safe and how much of our freedom we have given up. It’s not fair. It’s not right. I wish Neill took this unique opportunity to make the world aware of the new version of apartheid that we are suffering.

#SaveSouthAfrica

♡, Sana xx

Thursday 12 March 2015

Water Permeable Nail Polish

After writing my post on Tuesday in Love’s water permeable nail polish, I thought I’d tell you why there’s been such a big hoo-ha about it.  

For many observant Muslim women, manicures have long posed a religious problem. With prayers five times a day, and a pre-prayer ritual that includes washing the hands and arms, traditional fingernail polish has been mostly off limits because it prevents water from making contact with the nails. Though the Quran does not specifically address the issue of nail polish (so not specified Halal nor Haram), some Islamic scholars have said that water must touch the surface of the nail for the washing ritual to be done correctly.

A craze built up with Muslim women around Inglot, when the news of its O2M breathable polish spread quickly over the Internet after an Islamic scholar tested and approved its use. The research involved putting the O2M polish and a standard polish on coffee filters, letting them both dry, and then putting water drops on top of each and seeing if the moisture seeped through. In the case of the traditional nail polish it did not, but it went through the O2M polish and even wet a second filter below. This meant the nail polish was permeable and therefore permissible to wear during the washing ritual (as water would reach the nails).

I have not seen the scholar’s test, but have watched many others online including one by Inglot themselves. It seems even though this isn’t a new topic, there is still some confusion and questions surrounding the permeability and reliability of the tests. So I decided to conduct one of my own. All the videos I watched online, use only ONE layer of the polish, with no base or top coat.

For my test I was more realistic and applied two coats of the polish, which is how I would apply it to my nails. I did not use a base or top coat. There are many water permeable and breathable nail polishes on the market these days but for my experiment, I compared Inglot’s O2M with Tuesday in Love and a standard nail polish. I did it on normal paper and a paper towel. The photos are below.
 

With no rubbing:
-Didn’t pass through standard polish.
-Didn’t pass through Inglot.
-After a long time it eventually passed through Tuesday in Love.


With rubbing:
-Didn’t pass through standard polish.
-Didn’t pass through Inglot. The water rolled right off it as if on a non-stick pan!
-Passed through Tuesday in Love.

I did the test twice just to be absolutely sure.
 
Notice how the water just stays there.
 

I know there are a lot of ladies out there who trust and use Inglot. If you don’t have any doubt, it is completely your choice. Inglot created this nail polish because breathable polish is healthier for your nails. They were not targeting Muslim women and did not even predict this kind of response. But they appreciate the patronage and are working on making the product better. A recent trial of theirs may reveal that not only water vapour but even a droplet can permeate a single layer of O2M polish but it’s not confirmed. They are also working on permeability with multiple layers. So keep an eye on them.

As far as full proof water permeable polish goes, my conclusion is to use Inglot only if you are applying one coat with no base or top coat. Otherwise use Tuesday in Love (which only requires one layer), also without a base and top coat. But please read my post on Tuesday in Love first, online here.

Now go getch yo nails did!!!

, Sana xx

Tuesday in Love

 
Today I want to talk about Tuesday in Love nail polish. They are a Canadian company who specialize in water permeable nail polish. On their website they claim their “revolutionary micro-pore technology, allows water molecules to penetrate through the semi permeable nail polish. This unique technology also allows easy peel away removal without the use of nail polish remover or harsh chemicals.”

I’m going to start with the pros.

·         The polish contains no harsh chemicals and is never tested on animals.

·         The company is socially conscious; proceeds from every purchase are donated to Plan Canada's “Because I am a Girl” initiative, that helps underprivileged girls all around the world.

·         The site has photos of each polish colour on a hand model which is great when trying to choose a shade online.

·         The variety of colours are great, the polish is milky opaque and needs only one coat.

·         Because of the easy peel away aspect, it’s effortless to clean any mistakes around the edges of the nail when applying. And no more nail polish remover!

·         The nail polish is semi-permeable as claimed, which I will discuss more in my next post. This means the polish is breathable and is healthier for your nails.
 
 
 


Now for the cons.

·         The nail polish is overpriced.

·         They have put no effort into the packaging of the product. None of the polishes have names or ingredients on them. Just Tuesday in Love labels. Someone like me would never remember the name verbatim for my next order or to recommend to another person.

·         The polishes don’t have a long shelf life. I had mine for about three months and they began to separate and looked discoloured and splotchy.

·         Besides the photos, the site is quite basic and someone needs to proof read their information pages.

·         The peel away technology. Even though the site lists this as a pro and I believe it has some benefits, the reality is the polish does not stay on your nails!! Because it easily peels off, all it takes is a little scratch to make the polish flake.
 
      You don’t even have to wash dishes or be doing manual labour. Just use your hands for anything and you are guaranteed to have chipped nail polish.

This is extremely frustrating, as I have no time to keep reapplying every hour! And what do I do if I’m out of the house and nowhere near my polish?



It felt like a waste of nail polish, money and time to keep using it and I ended up giving all my bottles away to my sister. I will add that many reviewers did not find the chipping problem as bad as I did. Theirs lasted from 6 hours up to 2 days. Lucky them, as I don't see how that is possible and I tried them all many, many times.

Tip: I loved the great colours and milky texture of the polishes, so to make the manicure last, I applied a clear top coat (of another brand which was non-permeable) over it and it was great! This did however, defeat the breathable/water permeable feature of the polish.

♡, Sana xx

Wednesday 11 March 2015

Focus




Rating: ●●●

Certification: Language, Sexual Content and Brief Violence

Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance, Comedy

Stars: Will Smith, Margot Robbie

Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Running time: 105 min

Alert: NO SPOILERS

Synopsis: Conman Nicky trains and becomes romantically involved with novice con artist Jess. As he’s teaching her the tricks of the trade, she gets too close for comfort and he abruptly breaks it off. Three years later, the former flame—now an accomplished femme fatale—shows up in the midst of Nicky’s latest, very dangerous scheme and throws his plans for a loop.

Review: I honestly did not know what this movie was going to be about. When I watched the trailer I thought it was about gambling and looked extremely boring. But upon reading a critic review the words “many plot twists and turns” got me interested. I love twists and turns and movies that keep me on the edge of my seat.

So off I went! And it didn't fail to please. You know the type of movie you are watching, so you suspect everyone and everything of being a scam and try to guess what's going to happen next but somehow they still find a way to get to you. The characters are always two steps ahead and make you feel like you, yourself are being conned.

It’s great until about two thirds of the way. That’s when the movie changes from a crime thriller to a romantic drama… Yawn! This movie had the potential to be Ocean’s Eleven kind of brilliant but they went and made it soppy.

Now, I’m a girly girl who loves love, but I feel this movie didn’t have to go that way. Especially because the relationship between the lead characters wasn’t convincing. You always felt someone was playing someone (as with the scheming theme of the movie) and didn’t believe the love was real. And when it ended you weren’t surprised. So three years later, when seeing her throws him off his game, you’re thinking “But why?”

Nevertheless, this was a great watch and didn’t drag on for too long. The surprises and scams are gripping and opens your eyes to a world of crime you are aware of but didn’t really know.  Hello paranoia! I’ll definitely be holding on to my purse tighter next time I’m out and about.

Side note: Margot Robbie is stunning in this movie and made me feel insecure about myself!!! Ulgh perfection!!!

, Sana xx

Thursday 26 February 2015

Metallic Body Art

Today’s post isn’t a review on a specific brand, I just want to tell you about temporary Metallic Tattoos and why I love this Summer trend so much.

When it started trending midway last year, I thought I wouldn’t get into it. They were beautifully placed on model’s arms or backs for bikini shoots and even to compliment low cut evening gowns, but that didn’t appeal to me. However, when I started thinking out of the box and saw the tattoos being used as jewellery on fingers, hands, wrists, necklines and even on feet, I was hooked.

The rebel in me has always wanted a tattoo but I would never dare to ink anything permanent on my body. So these temporary tattoos are great because they will satisfy your inner wild child with no regrets and can also be used as jewellery (they are so pretty)! I know there has always been fake tattoos around but these are the first I’ve seen that are so blingy and feminine.

As seen on ikoala.com
Buy a few sheets of metallic designs and then mix and match them as you please. You apply them the way you applied those bubble-gum tattoos when you were a kid. Measure and cut to size, peel off the plastic layer and press down on your skin with a damp cloth. Voila! As easy as that! As with real jewellery, you can pile on tattoos for a layered look, or apply rings close together to imitate the stacked trend. What better way to bling up at the poolside, the beach or outdoor events without the risk of losing valuable jewels.

Here are a few styles that I really like:



I layered Faux Tattoos with Real Jewellery .


As seen on Poshmark



Love these text tattoos!



This trend is already moving to new levels, with designers creating temporary tattoos with colour images and paintings, which when applied, looks like the real deal.




Temporary watercolour tattoos

The best part? This won’t leave a dent in your wallet and needs no commitment nor any painful laser treatment. It lasts about 6 days and comes off with some baby oil. You can also DIY and make your own tats with metallic liners, nail polish and some stencils.

I have a feeling this trend will carry on long past the summer days, so have fun with it!

♡, Sana xx

Wednesday 25 February 2015

Kingsman




Rating: ●●

Certification: Strong Violence, Language

Genre: Over-the-top Action-Comedy

Stars: Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Running time: 129 minutes

Alert: NO SPOILERS

Synopsis: A spy organization recruits an unrefined, but promising street kid into the agency's ultra-competitive training program, just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius. Based on a comic book.

Review: Ulgh. Where do I start? This movie started off just fine. Funny. Entertaining. Then it became tedious (I can list about ten scenes that were unnecessary). Ridiculous amounts of violence and severed limbs which they try to portray in a cartoonish manner. However, the brutal scenes are so long, they stop being comical and become disturbing.

At least there are no gory sex scenes which seems to be the norm onscreen these days. I’m actually surprised the running time is only 129 minutes as it felt much, much longer. I slept on and off through the last 30 minutes and I don’t think I missed a thing.

There were definitely some unique ideas and good concepts in the film. It even gets you thinking about conspiracy theories and government schemes. But it drags on and becomes repetitive while making you wretch at all the glorified violence.

So this is more like a mindless, aggressive zombie movie (think World War Z) than it is an action James-Bond-type one. The trailer is misleading and so are the high ratings on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. People either loved it or hated it. I’m a hater.

Watch at your own discretion.

♡, Sana xx

Thursday 19 February 2015

Because you’re worth it!

Yep you've guessed it, today’s post is about a L’Oreal product.

I have a confession to make... I got sucked in by a TV ad! The commercial was for the L’Oreal Paris Privee Colour Riche Lipstick Collection (Whoa! That’s a mouthful). It features shades that are inspired by a variety of skin tones to give you the perfect nude, natural lip. I think the ad itself is about a year old but the product only launched in Oz recently.


L-R: Freida, Ines, Julianne, Leila, Aishwarya, Liya, Eva and Doutzen

 
L-R: Freida, Ines, Julianne, Jane, Fan, Liya, Eva and Doutzen.
 
Just look at them! Who wouldn’t be totally hypnotized by their grace and beauty?
What’s great is that for once, it features women of my skin tone- and I’m not in India. Yay! The print ads and TV ad differ a bit because they don’t all feature the same celebrities (why?) and JLo doesn’t feature in any of them. You can watch the TV ad here and a bit of the filming here. Gosh, I wish I could speak French like Leïla Bekhti...   

So as I said I was totally captivated by this ad and I couldn’t wait to run out and buy one.
The only shades available in Australia are Doutzen, Eva, Julianne, Freida and JLo, named after the ambassadors who represent the shade. They each chose a shade for their diverse skin tones, resulting in a selection of nude lipsticks that are tailor made to suit every woman. 


Doutzen- Hint of Pink,  Julianne- Rosewood Beige, JLo- Greige Glow, Freida- Mauve Tint and Eva-Peach Skin.

The limited options were quite disappointing but that didn’t stop me.

The L’Oreal Paris website has a quiz you can take to find out which shade is right for you. But they are sneaky because no matter what you click, your result will be limited only to the five available shades, so it’s not accurate. The good news is all five shades are beautiful and you might as well use the testers to figure out which you like. 

Top to Bottom: Freida, Doutzen, JLo, Eva and Julianne.
As you can see from the swatches, Doutzen and JLo were way too light and Freida a bit too purple for my liking. Julianne and Eva were definitely winners for me and luckily the store was having a 2 for 1 sale! The lipsticks feel creamy and just glide on (felt like Vaseline!). They promise to be moisturizing, nourishing and hydrating (with added Omega 3 Oils and Vitamin E) ,which I love because I have super dry lips. They all have a slight shimmer to them and after you apply it doesn’t dry up or look flaky. The packaging is also really pretty.
So I recommend this product, if it’s available in your city, go get it! Perthians, these were available at Priceline but after today I don’t think you will get any. They are all sold out and apparently there are no more coming in because it’s limited stock. I literally looked down at my phone to take one photo and when I glanced up, half the lipsticks were gone. Probably has a lot to do with the buy one get one free special. Good Luck!
 
My two purchases, Eva and Julianne. LOVE!



Left: Eva, Right: Julianne













P.S. Each lipstick has a Le Vernis Nail Polish shade that complements it, also chosen by the ambassadors.


 
, Sana xx

Tuesday 17 February 2015

Fee Fi Fo Fun!


Over the weekend we experienced something really incredible, thanks to the Perth International Arts Festival and French company Royal de Luxe.

We were visited by two very amazing GIANTS!!!



Little Girl snoozing on her bed.
 
 
 



Diver having a nap outside the train station.
 
 
Royal de Luxe are world leaders in large-scale street theatre and storytelling led by Director Jean-Luc Courcoult. Convinced that it was easier to reach an audience by going outside rather than dragging them into a room, their shows are played on the streets and in public open spaces. In order to be more unique, they developed shows extending over three days: the point was to be able to tell a story to an entire city by adapting it to the city.  The Diver Giant was built in 1993 and the Little Girl Giant in 1997. This company is unusual, unorthodox and extremely fascinating. Have a look at their site http://www.royal-de-luxe.com/


The show in Perth is in commemoration with the centenary of Anzac, so the back story is based on the battle of Gallipoli. In short, the Little Girl has a vision of the Diver trying to save lives of drowning soldiers. He spends his time burying the soldiers who have passed away on the sea bed. She decides to sail to Perth to look for him. You can read the full story by searching for “The Incredible and Phenomenal Journey of the Giants to the Streets of Perth.”
 
I was a little sceptical as to how entertaining this would be. After all, I could see cranes helping the giants along in all the photos, so the impact couldn’t be that great, could it?

It could!

This wasn’t just a case of large puppets being hoisted around. These marionettes were so lifelike and captivating, you had to see it to believe it. They blinked, waved, smiled, yawned, slept, snored, ate, drank, showered, danced, exercised, rode scooters and even peed in public! I don’t think there was a single person out of the 1.5 million crowd that wasn’t enchanted by these colossal “performers”.

Little Girl on her scooter.

Little Girl enjoys a lolly in the Perth heat.



Little Girl plays with little kids.

WA schoolkids made a giant storybook for
Little Girl which she immediately sat down to read.



Uh oh. Little Girl pees on Hay Street.

Little Girl has a shower.


They were brought to life by a small army of puppeteers or “Lilliputians” (after the tiny people in Gulliver’s Travels) who controlled them with a complicated network of ropes and pulleys and a lot of sweat and labour. 
This wasn’t at all what I expected. The details that went into these Giants, from their clothes, features, and quirky characters made me forget they were made of wood!  

Little Girl is about 6 metres in height and Diver a whopping 11 metres and when I saw them in front of me I actually got goosebumps. I felt tiny and a little scared but giddy and mesmerized at the same time. They made everyone feel like little children, clapping and chasing them through the city streets.
They had their separate routes from Friday morning, Little Girl searching for Diver and Diver searching for his anchor, until they were finally united on Saturday night. Cheers and tears erupted at their heartwarming embrace in Langley Park and the Giants settled down for a snooze. According to some reports they are supposed to be Uncle and Niece but I can’t confirm that.
 

Little Girl on her boat, searching for Diver.



Diver searching for his anchor.


Diver's Anchor

United at last!

Diver and Little Girl prepare to sleep.


Having a snooze.


On Sunday they attended an Aboriginal wreath laying ceremony and then walked the streets together, before boarding a barge and sailing off. We were all sad to see them go.
 

Walking the streets together.


Goodbye Giants!
 
Perth International Arts Festival promised this show would steal our hearts and it certainly did. This was a once in a lifetime event and I am grateful to have experienced it!!

I found some of these photos by combing through hashtags on the net, and also used some of my own pictures. Copyright Acknowledged.
 
♥, Sana xx