veneer

数年前にマカオに行ったことがありますが、そのマカオの記事がReader's Digest 12月号にありました。
But Macau's veneer of modernism is easily punctured. Venture away from the resort district and air conditioning gives way to incense-filled temples, and skyscrapers are replaced by ornate stonework. Beneath a bustling Chinese skin it is easy to see the skelton of Portuguese colonial buildings, and the blend of traditions the locals still revel in.
"veneer" はベニア板しか思い起こせませんが、上の"veneer" はそのベニアではないでしょう。
・Collins Dictionary: a superficial appearance, esp one that is pleasing ⇒ a veneer of gentility
・Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary:a way of behaving or appearing that gives other people a false idea of your true feelings or situation
・Vocabulary.com: A veneer can be anything that makes something look more elegant or attractive than it is. Originally it was a furniture word, but over time its meaning expanded. If someone smiles at you while making some passive-aggressive remark, like, "Gee, you actually look really nice today," you could say that her inner meanness is showing through her veneer of sweetness.
なるほど "veneer" は板だけではないのですね。
私が見たマカオの "veneer" はカジノと本土からカジノを目指してやってくる大勢の中国人でしたが、ベニアの下には歴史を感じさせる景観や雰囲気がありました。