I spent 8 weeks in Turkey the fall of Sept and Oct 2015. Our guide was really worried about his country and saw it quickly going backwards. It was the impression of our guide that Turkey was becoming more religious due to the influence of the devout Arabic wife of Erdogen.
I felt no danger whatsoever while I travelled...however, attacks were just starting. We had been in Ankara just 2 days before the bombing there. I certainly would not entertain the thought of touring in Turkey right now
There is a real dichotomy in that country. On one hand, those who I would classify as descending from the Ottomans were not religious at all, in fact our guide and his whole family were atheists. They were well educated and what I would call very modern and westernized.
On the other hand, the population that is Arabic does not embrace either modernization or westernization of their country. In fact, they want to pull back and be even more devoted to their religion.
Gambling was forbidden...not necessarily a bad thing. Liquor was available readily...lots of stores on most streets...but it was taxed so heavily that one glass of wine would cost more than your entire meal.
Jobs and advancement were favored to those men whose wives wore the scarf.
There was an incident in Istanbul where a young girl was bullied off a bus because her friends wanted her to wear a scarf and she chose not to.
We met a young girl...maybe 16 to 18... in the more rural SE part of Turkey. Her father would not let her continue school past Grade 8. She was herding a few cows, had never travelled more than 50 km from home, and in all likelihood, would be married off soon.
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