Are Turkish Bay Leaves "Normal" Bay leaves?
Are there even different types of Bay Leaves?

There is the California Bay Laurel  Umbellularia californica.

Turkish Bay is Laurus nobilis

(https://nicholsgardennursery.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/laurus-nobilis-the-true-bay/)

We have an California Bay Laurel (AKA Oregon Myrtle) growing in our yard. While looking the same and smelling like normal store bought bay leafs like from Spice Island, it is 10 times more pungent. I used it once and that was the last time.