In 1961, George Baltoyannis, my father, was pursuing his studies in architecture in Rome. During his time there, he happened to come across an album of memories that belonged to a traveler named P. Balestra. The album contained old photographs of the Middle East that immediately piqued his interest, and he ended up purchasing it for 500 lire. Over the years, my father and I spent many hours poring over the album together, fascinated by the glimpses of a long-gone world that it provided. Eventually, after owning the album for 60 years, I decided to delve deeper into its history and gave it the title "Memories of the East".

Despite carrying out extensive research, I was unable to find any concrete evidence of a traveler who went by the name of "Doctor" or Dottore. However, during my research, I stumbled upon a road in Rome named R. Balestra, which is situated near the famous Villa Doria Pamphili. This discovery could potentially be linked to the mysterious traveler whose album we possess. It might be worthwhile to examine any photographs we have of him to uncover more about his identity and the reasons behind his visits to these particular locations.

Travel Photography is a captivating and timeless genre of photography that has been in existence since the 1850s. It encompasses the art of capturing and documenting the essence of a particular location's landscape, people, cultures, customs, and history. The pioneers and practitioners of this field have left an indelible mark on this genre, shaping and defining it with their creativity, passion, and innovation. Their work has stood the test of time and continues to inspire and influence the contemporary Travel Photography industry.

Delving into the history of Travel Photography is an exciting and informative journey that offers a unique perspective on the world we live in.

I found it quite intriguing when the traveler referred to "the East" as beginning before Greece. This piqued my interest to dive deeper into the historical facts and understand the separation between the East and West. Upon further examination, it became apparent that the decision of Constantine the Great, in 330 A.D., to move the capital from Rome to New Rome, also known as Constantinople, marked the first significant separation between the two regions.

As time progressed, the separation became more distinct, especially during the reign of Theodosius I. In 395 A.D., he divided the Roman Empire into two parts, leaving the Eastern part to Arcadius and the Western part to Honorius. This division became even more profound during the Byzantine Iconoclasm period from 726-843 A.D. when the Greek churches were detached from the Pope's jurisdiction and attached to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. This resulted in the Byzantine taking on its Orthodox and Greek character. The separation of the churches was further consolidated with the split in 1054.

In the following centuries, the conquest of the Greek area by the Latins in the West and the Ottomans in the East created confusion for the Greek population. However, for the Italians, the border of the Eastern population was clear - the Adriatic Sea.