leonardo: this is a typical street of this neighborhood. houses of wood, houses of concrete. the street is not in good condition. here was the bus station. it's not a bus station anymore. now it's a building. it's a monument of the past. >> anthony: mantilla is a suburb of havana, home to one of cuba's most celebrated writers. >> leonardo: [ speaking spanish ] >> anthony: author of the internationally successful mario conde detective series, padura has been able to portray the daily struggles, the absurdities of life in cuba. it's a delicate dance, and few have been able to replicate it. your hero in the books, does he live in this neighborhood? or another neighborhood?