Giving up on trying to take a nap on the uncomfortably bumpy tour bus on the way back to Havana, I opened my eyes and was taken by surprise by the incredible view of the rural Cuban landscape I was gazing upon. Wishing that my camera battery hadn't died the previous day so I could attempt to capture the unique beauty of the mountainous hills, the dark, enclosing clouds, palm tree filled valleys and the rose colored glow of the sun as it concluded its daily routine. But, as always, pictures can only give you a taste of the true captivating beauty, and can never capture the way you feel at that moment.

The exotic and mysterious scene could have been the artistic theme for one of the unique handmade books created by the publishing company Ediciones Vigía, where we volunteered during our weekend trip to the city of Matanzas. The books' art is naturally flowing, yet is concrete with intricate details. The brown craft-paper is the signature backdrop with an explosion of creative flare added to each cover, page, and binding. The artists, writers, and editors put an incredible amount of time, dedication, and care into every one of the 200 copies of each of the publications they create. The view that I experienced on the trip back from Matanzas could easily be imagined and created by these monumental artists to capture the mystery and intrigue of the Cuban countryside. Using earth from the potted plants sitting in Vigía's charming courtyard to build and texture the mountains. Coffee grounds to dye water to color the dark, translucent clouds. Coconut skin shreds to contour the valleys. Palm leaves to construct the palm trees. Extract from the veins of a hibiscus flower to add the faint glow of the fading sun. A local poet's latest masterpiece inked across the pages made of dried and thinned ceiba tree bark bound together with vines that were once climbing up the walls of the enchanting workspace of Vigía.

The scene of the rural countryside that I saw on the bus is now only an image in my mind and will soon begin to fade, but the books created by Ediciones Vigía are tactile dreams that can be collected as priceless pieces of art.