I'm frankly quite shocked. I knew it's secular but how far do you go from Islam? A small minority of women wear Islamic dress (in Istanbul) but the majority you wouldn't think they are your "Muslim" sisters. Turn on the TV in the hotel and the drama, soaps, etc they are dressed like Western women in short skirts and what not. Then the huge number of bars and clubs - isn't serving and storing alcohol haraam? And the locals smoke and date. Turkish bellydancing! Then shock horror the national drink is alcoholic "raki"? Huh! In a "Muslim" country. It's a beautiful city but full of contradictions. So many famous mosques, the whirling dervishes, so much history but the country is way too secular! Shame, shame, shame!