I have fond memories of Venice in the rain. When I was in Italy last year it rained the whole time we were there. I found the city so beautiful with its cloak of clouds. Darting between the rain drops and looking up at the historic buildings and monuments I could imagine that I was in a storybook illustration, separated from the current world and left to enjoy imagined secrets, histories and adventures around every little turn.

The streets of Venice to me echoed a broken down beauty, they whispered of the glory and riches of ages past and the faded glamour of what had gone before. The twisting lanes and ancient bridges wound together in a story of a city that wanted to draw you in, to make it almost impossible to escape. Through the little alleyways and soon island hopping without knowing it the only way to escape is to take to a boat and hope that the canals can provide some relief from the buildings that loom over the streets.

Our last night in Venice we dined in a cosy ristorante with too many jugs of red wine and on the trip back to the canal boat the rain came back with a vengeance. So many of the others shrieked and cursed and tried in vain to cover themselves with jackets and umbrellas. I danced in the rain, got soaked through and shivered as it poured down. I wanted to soak in every part of Italy I could, I wanted to be part of the Venetian water colour painting. For those moments; my feet dancing across the cobblestones, my clothes soaked with Italian rain, and my heart lighter than the night sky I was part of a Venetian storybook.

On the way we stopped to admire the Leaning Tower of Pisa (and enjoyed some really beautiful summer fruit).

I sure hope he got his shot -- I call this the extreme photo lunge! Attempt at your own risk.

I wonder what this old man thinks of the swell of humanity he must see everyday from his aerie above San Marco Square.

A view of the Grand Canal.

More in San Marco Square. So beautiful even without the sun.

We took a gorgeous gondola ride through the canals.

It's amazing what you see at canal and street level in this ancient (modern) city.

My favourite shot of Venice. It's a dog's life huh.

I hope you enjoyed these shots of Venice, I do apologise for the number I have posted but once I get started snapping I can't stop myself.

The next shots of Venice I post will be from the canals of the Venetian in Las Vegas. Stay tuned!

Amy