These are the last days of June and the first day of July, but the afternoons in the tourist Parga are still fresh and rainy. All forecasts indicate that it will have to pass another week, before sun shines without any fears in Greece. But predictions and forecasts are not always safe. However, the Greeks living on tourism in small resorts and guesthouses appear to have many other concerns to discuss. Everyone is anxious to know what will happen this Sunday. An anxiety that increased after June 30.

The humor of all Greek citizens or those working in this country changed on July 1. Up to this day, "Greek crisis" was not even felt at least in coastal towns where tourism abounds for months. Despite some sporadic queues at any ATM, nothing else was changing in the tourist Greece.

In Parga, one of the closest tows with Albania, those who were well-informed on the news coming from Athens would be surprised by the tranquility and normality in this area. The hospitality was amazing and it can be just said that the tourism was on top, as long as each rented area near the hotels or studios had been already booked until the end of August. With a little luck, you could reserve rooms that were distant from the sea, which due to their geographical position and the distance had not been taken yet. Overwhelmed by the news of Greece, such a situation was astonishing, while every day and night it was being talked about bankruptcies across the border, wages and pensions that could not be obtained, as well as unpaid debts and a future already put in jeopardy.

The tranquility faded few days later. But it was not the news spread in the local and foreign media that the banks were closed until July 5. On the contrary, some people were not even aware of it. They learned it on July 1. All the hospitality, the warmth and communication changed on this day.

The manager of one of the most remarkable resorts of the area didn’t prefer to show up on this day. During the afternoon, completely lost, he started to explain his absence to the tourist, while not being able to hide his sadness. When I asked him briefly about the crisis, he exploded in complaints. He hadn’t taken the monthly wage and he didn’t know when he would get it. The ATM couldn’t be spotted due to the long queue and ultimately the owner couldn’t help him with money either. On the contrary, the latter didn’t pass the wages to the banks in order to avoid the crisis and he was waiting for the situation to calm down, in order for the money not to “lose” their destination. However, he couldn’t deliver the money in cash. The manager was from Serbia and he had been working for eight years during summer season in Greece and this situation surprised him. Most of the staff was young, with different nationalities, even Albanians who passed the summer season in Greece and in winter they used to get back to their homes. This situation was unexplainable and incomprehensible, as well as for all the Greeks. However, the duty didn’t allow this manager to say something more and he ended the conversation saying: “Everything will be solved, I think.”

The situation looked more hopeless for the Greek citizens that worked in the resort. They were a lot more informed on the situation than the foreigners. One of them, Kyriakos, when he heard that the conversation was in Albanian, started to explain with his slow English why Albania shouldn’t become part of Euro. “Earlier with 3 Euro, converted into Drachma, I managed to buy two “Giros” and I would get even spare change. Nowadays I can’t manage to buy even one of them,” he explained, adding that all evil comes from Euro.

From this day on there could be no more tranquility. In the resort the rumors were spread that the tourists won’t even pay with credit cards, because the state might have forbidden it. Nothing could be done without cash. The voices became increasingly stronger and there was the claim if the costs of consumption would have been paid in cash or with credit card.

Even the tranquility faded soon in the town. The queues in banks became longer, even in the ATMs. The need on explanations increased. Things became clear to the tourists. Those who didn’t hold a Greek passport were able to pay with credit cards without any limitation. They were able to draw more than 60 euros from their accounts, remaining calm this way for the remaining time of their holidays. The town was theirs to discover, the night life as well and everything else that the Greek tourism could offer.

Meanwhile for Greeks, the coming of July 5, the last day when the banks are closed, doesn’t tranquilize the situation. On the contrary, it is causing much tension due to the fear of what the Sunday referendum might bring, as well as the postponement of the much expected salaries.