Time travel: Crossing borders intelligence style

Imagine standing on the hill. You're at the edge. Below you runs the river, not just any river but river Guadiana, separating Spain from Portugal. You can see to the other side, the small town of Alcoutim. You're on the mission. You'll get there without anyone knowing. You're equipped. 

You shoot the wire, that stuck on the other side. Everything is ready. You take the pulley, hold yourself tight, and far above the ground silently cross to the other side without anyone noticing.

You don't just travel between countries but also in time, as Portugal's time zone is one hour behind Spain. You're on a mission... or so do you feel!

I've never in my life seen an entire Bond movie, but I remember this scene from Golden eye, when James Bond descends himself down the wall of dam. Exciting for sure, and with my to vivid imagination, sliding down the metal cable above the river to cross from one country to another reminded me exactly of that.

In the town of Sanlúcar de Guadiana they're actually offering such attraction, called LimitZero.

After purchasing your adventure at their office, at the square right above the town pier (where you can choose from many other adventurous activities as well), you're given the safety stripes and in a van taken up the fortress hill. Not far below the fortress, there's the upper station of the zip-line, from where you also have a fantastic view to both Spanish and Portuguese side.

Spanish  Sanlúcar de Guadiana on left and Portuguese Alcoutim on right

Your stripes are tightened, your pulley is put on the wire, and they pull you up so you can get the filling of hanging freely. Once you're ready, they open the gate and let you go (while you're already hanging in the air, so there's no adrenalinic jump of the edge). 

The wire is 720 m long and steep just enough to make the ride exciting but certainly not scary. At 70 or 80 km/h the wind is blowing in your face which might water your eyes and remind you how exciting this is. You pass down the hill, crossing some houses (I particularly remember one with a big yard with a pool), the Spanish land disappears, and you're already flying above the river, slow and somehow green one, where small boats are parked. You can observe algae floating on the water level before you cross to the Portuguese side. You're fast approaching the docking station, a construction meant for your landing, where you're arrival triggers mechanism of spikes and elastics that stop you before the final column.

The assistant then pulls you back and sets you on the pedestal, where you're unbuckled and set free in the new country... and new timezone

What to do in Alcoutim?

After such vivid adventure it's time for some more relaxing experiences. You can set yourself down in a lovely bar right above the water very close to the dock, where you can enjoy coffee and Portuguese dessert pastel de nata. Dock is also a place from where you can catch a ride returning back to the Spanish side, that's already included in your zip-line adventure.

view to  Sanlúcar de Guadiana and fortress from the boat, upper zip-line station is visible uphill on the left

However I skipped that as discovering town seemed more of an happening. You can walk from one side to another in quit short time, but it's definitely worth your while.

Colorful, neatly designed houses, decorated with tiles, numerous statues and fountains. Castle ruins, or more walls on top of the hill from where you have lovely view, and simple small streets where you might meet local cats and see wonderful plants.

Exiting old town on the other side will lead you to the road, it's dike decorated with old photographs made of tiles which Portugal is famous for. Crossing it you'll find yourself on a path, surrounded with trees, even those of pomegranate, that were full of delicious fruits.

old photographs displayed in tiles

Continuing, you'll reach a town beach, located by one of the inflows of Guadiana. The area is wonderfully arranged. The beautiful sandy beach is shaded by a proper beach bar, giving you the summer feeling. Opposite of it you'll find a small park, filled with informational boards combined with exercising equipment and decorated by one of those white wind mills, significant for the area on both sides of the river.

The water is refreshing and full of plants growing both from water and bank on the other side, certainly giving it a special relaxing feeling. Perhaps chilling out there just put that cherry on top of this perfectly exciting day.

fisherman statue, one of many in town