I rushed to read through the stories and felt my heart constrict further with each one.

The trip happened to fall during a particularly busy period, both personally and professionally.

Julius Hirtzberger/Courtesy of The Hoxton, Vienna

Id already started off strong on my first day in town.

Taylor Swift performs onstage during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at Volksparkstadion on July 23, 2024 in Hamburg, Germany.

Credit:Gregor Fischer/TAS24/GETTY IMAGES

The next morning, I treated myself to a lie-in (a luxury as a toddler mom!)

before meeting my friends at theNatural History Museum.

I took my time examining the display cases.

Interior of the lobby at The Hoxton, Vienna

Julius Hirtzberger/Courtesy of The Hoxton, Vienna

And, of course, there were meteorites and countless fossils.

Turns out, the idea of mass extinction has a way of putting a canceled concert in perspective.

Manchan/Getty Images

Still, I was eager to salvage what parts of the concert-going experience I could.

Belvedere Palace and gardens in Vienna, Austria

Manchan/Getty Images

Trading took on a decidedly bittersweet tone.

As colorful balloons bounced from person to person, the sadness was palpable, but so was the joy.

I attempted to peep Gustav Klimts work at theBelvedere Museumbut couldnt snag a ticket early enough in the day.

Swifties hang beaded bracelets on a “friendship bracelet tree” in Vienna, Austria

Fan’s of Taylor Swift, so-called “Swifties”, hang beaded bracelets on a “friendship bracelet tree” in Vienna, Austria, after her three scheduled concerts were cancelled on August 7, 2024.EVA MANHART/Getty Images

So, after walking the grounds a bit, I hopped over to theHouse of Music.

But I felt a kinship watching fellow Swifties channel their disappointment into this sort of group therapy.

Interior of Neue Hoheit at the Rosewood Vienna

Courtesy of Rosewood Vienna

Taylor Swift fans sing together on Stephansplatz on August 08, 2024 in Vienna, Austria

Taylor Swift fans sing together on Stephansplatz on August 08, 2024 in Vienna, Austria after the concerts were announced to be canceled.Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images