Photo reportage: Giants in Leeuwarden

The Diver emerges from the water at the Westerkade in Leeuwarden on Friday morning. The Diver, The Little Giant Girl and Xolo the Dog will tell the Frisian inspired story “Big Skate in the Ice” in Leeuwarden on Friday, Saturday and Sunday as part of the Capital of Culture 2018 year.

Water pours off the of the diver’s feet as he is hauled out of the water with a crane on Friday morning.

Spectators photograph the scene as the Diver is hauled out of the water on Friday morning.

Thousands of spectators and dozens of performers gather in Leeuwarden as the Diver is hoisted out of the water on Friday morning.

The Diver looks toward the technicians as he is swung into position by a crane on Friday morning before beginning his journey.

Xolo the dog wags his tongue, wiggles his ears and expresses his happiness as he is petted by spectators as he walks down the Tweebaksmarkt in Leeuwarden.

The Little Giant Girl and her operators pause at the beginning of the Tweebaksmarkt to prepare for her to take a ride down the street on a motorbike.

“These Boots Are Made for Walkin’” and “Born to be Wild” played while the Little Giant Girl took a ride on a motorbike through Leeuwarden on Friday morning.

A performer places massive goggles on the Little Giant Girl’s face on Friday morning.

The Little Giant Girls towers over a large crowd at the Blokhuisplein on Friday morning.

The Diver towers over the crowd in all directions at the Voorstreek on Friday afternoon.

The Little Girl Giant looks out over the crowd at the Voorstreek, just minutes after her father, the Diver, walked through the same area on Friday afternoon.

Peole take in a spectacular view of the Diver from their balconies on the Nieuweweg in Leeuwarden on Friday afternoon.

The strain – and joy – of operating the Diver shows on the faces of the lilliputians as they jump off of the crane operating him with ropes in hand as they park him at the Wilhelminaplein on Friday evening.

The Diver watches as the lilliputians – a reference to “Gulliver’s Travels” – remove his diving helmet for the night on Friday afternoon.

A piano flies throught the air after being launched from a catapult on the Wilhelminaplein in front of the Fries Museum and the Diver at the end of the first day of “Big Skate in the Ice”. The museum is the giant’s sleeping place on Friday night.

The Diver lightly snores in front of the Fries Museum on Friday evening at the end of the first day of the programme.

Xolo the dog (left) and the Little giant Girl sleep in while a crowd gathers around them at the Cambuur Stadium in Leeuwarden before starting their journey on Saturday.

The Little Giant Girl lightly snores, her mouth and chest moving in rhythm with her “breath”, on Saturday morning during the Royal de Luxe giant marionettes performance in Leeuwarden.

The Little Giant Girl takes her morning shower on Saturday before starting her search for her father on the steets of Leeuwarden.

Adults, children and dogs watch the action at the Cambuur Stadium on Saturday morning after Xolo and the Little Giant Girl wake up for the day.

Xolo the dog runs off with one of the Little Giant Girls’s socks on Saturday morning while the lilliputians get her dressed.

The lilliputians put on the Little Giant Girl’s shoes with a power drill on Saturday morning.

A little girl watches the Little Giant Girl approaching down the Groningerstraatweg in Leeuwarden on Saturday morning.

Attendees of all ages react with joy and disbelief along the route of the Little Giant Girl on Saturday morning.

The Little Giant Girl kneels down to give a handful of children a swing on her arms on Saturday morning.

Residents living next door to the Oldehove church tower got an up close and personal look at the Little Giant Girl as she arrived for her afternoon nap.

The Little Giant Girl is hoisted into the air from her frame before being placed in a massive beach stool in front of the Oldehove in Saturday afternoon for a nap.

After starting his afternoon journey an hour late, the Diver walks down the Willemskade with the Achmea tower in the background on Saturday.

The diver looks around the roundabout after walking up the Tesselschadestraat in Leeuwarden.

The Little Giant Girl rides on top of an Arriva bus with her luggage on the back as she enters the WTC.

The Little Giant Girl touches the Diver’s face when embracing each other for the first time during “Big Skate in the Ice”.

The crowd watches the giant reunion at WTC.

The Little Giant Girl dances in the air after being reunited with her father.

The Little Giant Girl strikes a final, kneeling pose at the WTC after dancing jouyously in the air after reuniting with her father.

Crew members applaud at the end of the reunion performance at WTC on Saturday night.

The giants look into each other’s eyes after being reunited on Saturday.

Drummers on double decker cars swerve around to celebrate the reunion of the Diver and the Little Giant Girl.

The lilliputians receive a hearty round of applause as they march out of the WTC.

The Diver embraces his daughter, the Little Giant Girl, on his lap after they were reunited at the WTC.

A crowd of thousands gathers on the grounds of the WTC Expo to watch the beginning of the final day of the Royal de Luxe giants in Leeuwarden.

Xolo the dog leaps up to start the album that plays the song to wake up the giants on the record player on Sunday afternoon at WTC Expo in Leeuwarden.

The Diver gazes upward as his operaters rapel down to help put his diving helmet on.

The crowd watches the giants process out of the WTC Expo as confetti flutters to the ground on the final day of the Royal de Luxe performance in Leeuwarden.

Crowds gather on either side of the canals of Leeuwarden to watch the Royal de Luxe giants leave the city by boat on Sunday afternoon.

Spectators wave back at the Little Giant Girl as her boat moves past the Noorderplantage in Leeuwarden on Sunday afternoon.

The Diver sails past the Oldehove on Sunday afternoon at the Royal de Luxe giants leave Leeuwarden on the water.

Xolo the dog, the Little Giant Girl and the Diver sail away down the Dokkumer Ee and out of Leeuwarden after their three day city-wide performance, “Big Skate in the Ice”.