Good evening, blog friends—how are you? I’m back with you again; things have been a bit hectic lately, but here I am. In the meantime, I’ve had to look after my ginger cat, Marzullo; he was suffering from struvite crystals and needed a course of medication. He finished the treatment today, and as you can see, he’s doing well and is in great shape—in fact, he’s particularly lively today, especially when it comes to hunting geckos and eating his special therapeutic kibble. I also visited the library, where there was an exhibition dedicated to one of Pistoia’s main events: the Giostra dell'Orso (Joust of the Bear). My mother wrote a post about it, too; you can find it here:
@silviabeneforti/the-historical-parade-in-my-city
This event is closely linked to the festival of Saint James (San Jacopo), the city's patron saint, which is celebrated with parades and traditional dishes like duck maccheroni and stewed beans. The Giostra dell'Orso is a medieval-inspired competition held every year in Piazza del Duomo—Pistoia’s main square and an ancient medieval plaza used for the city's major events. In this competition, Pistoia’s four districts face off in a horse-riding contest. There was a time when the event sparked protests—mainly regarding how the horses were kept out in the sun in the middle of July—but now the horses are well-monitored and cared for, and this wonderful tradition is appreciated by all the local residents.
Buenas noches, amigos del blog: ¿cómo están? Estoy de vuelta con ustedes; últimamente las cosas han estado un poco ajetreadas, pero aquí estoy. Mientras tanto, he tenido que cuidar a mi gato pelirrojo, Marzullo; sufría de cristales de estruvita y necesitó un tratamiento farmacológico. Hoy terminó el tratamiento y, como pueden ver, está bien y en plena forma; de hecho, hoy está especialmente animado, sobre todo a la hora de cazar geckos y comer su pienso terapéutico especial. También visité la biblioteca, donde había una exposición dedicada a uno de los eventos principales de Pistoia: la Giostra dell'Orso (Justa del Oso). Mi madre también escribió una publicación al respecto; pueden encontrarla aquí:
Anyway, after grabbing a quick lunch—an excellent focaccia with mortadella (a great classic that’s always perfect for a quick bite)—at the laundromat while waiting for my laundry, I headed to the library to check out the exhibition dedicated to the Giostra dell'Orso (Joust of the Bear). It was a bit small and simple, but charming; there were some beautiful medieval costumes, as well as flags and lances bearing the colors and coats of arms of Pistoia’s districts. There were also shields, various weapons, and t-shirts representing the districts, plus an interesting section featuring historical maps, old articles, vintage photos, newspaper clippings, and imagery related to the joust. There was even a nice section dedicated to its history and traditions—all in all, a small but fascinating exhibition. Later that evening, I returned home and relaxed with a new Korean fantasy-historical TV series that recently dropped on Netflix; who knows, I might review it soon. I had a healthy dinner, and now I’m unwinding a bit on the couch and here on Hive. See you soon, blog friends!
En fin, después de almorzar algo rápido —una excelente focaccia con mortadela (un gran clásico, siempre perfecto para un bocado veloz)— en la lavandería mientras esperaba mi ropa, me dirigí a la biblioteca para ver la exposición dedicada a la Giostra dell'Orso (Justa del Oso). Era algo pequeña y sencilla, pero encantadora; había hermosos trajes medievales, así como banderas y lanzas que lucían los colores y escudos de los distritos de Pistoia. También había escudos, diversas armas y camisetas representativas de los distritos, además de una sección interesante con mapas históricos, artículos antiguos, fotos de época, recortes de prensa e imágenes relacionadas con la justa. Incluso había una sección agradable dedicada a su historia y tradiciones; en resumen, una exposición pequeña pero fascinante. Más tarde, regresé a casa y me relajé viendo una nueva serie coreana de fantasía histórica que acaba de estrenarse en Netflix; quién sabe, tal vez haga una reseña pronto. Cené algo saludable y ahora estoy descansando un poco en el sofá y aquí en Hive. ¡Hasta pronto, amigos del blog!
First picture edited by my phone translation with deepl
