There was the line, “It’s one of those places that’s not on the water but of the water,” in the article of May 25 New York Times titled “How I fell for Lisbon,” an enticing reading for anyone who has ever been there.
It goes as follows:
A major port in a country with a rich and proud seafaring history, Lisbon has a connection to the ocean – the Tagus meets the Atlantic only a dozen or so miles away – that is essential, intimate and palpable. It’s one of those places that’s not just on the water but of water.
I’m not able to get a clear idea about the difference between ‘place on the water’ and ‘place of the water.’ How can I interpret the difference of 'on' and 'of' (the water)?